Bad Company
by ProfKoas
Summary: Hello guys and probably few gals, I'm writing this to get better,first time writing, and I'm mainly doing this for friends
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: the meeting

On a wintery night at 8 p.m., the police station was in absolute celebration. They finally caught him. They caught "him." Senior officers were packing up, the chief was retiring, people all around were celebrating except, for Detective Jane Johansson.

"Why is everyone just celebrating like it's New Year's Eve, we just caught the city's most dangerous vigilante?!" the detective yelled. The African American detective wore a long trench coat that went down to her calves. She had short black hair, brown eyes, and wore a county-certified police uniform under her coat.

"Yeah! We caught the city's most dangerous vigilante. We deserve a little celebration." The young officer said.

"We need to question him. We need to find leads to the other vigilantes seen running away from the crime scene and the contraband on him." The agitated detective yelled.

"Listen, Jane, you're the only one who's on edge right now you need to relax." The young officer said. The younger officer attempts to put a hand on Jane's shoulder, to which the detective bats away.

"Relax! Relax! This man just attempted to assassinate my niece" The detective yelled. The chief of police looks over and puts down his drink and walks over.

"Jane, if you want him to be interrogated how about your the person who does it." The old chief laughs. Jane looks irritated for a moment and then transforms into clarity.

"You know what, I will interrogate him." The cocky officer said. The detective struts away with confidence in her stride. Worried, the chief sends an older detective, Henry Hopps, with her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the older officer whispered. Jane looked confused by her fellow detective.

"Of course, I do. Do you really think any of their fatasses are gonna get to interrogate this monster." Jane practically yelled. Henry took that as his cue to be quiet. As they march to the interrogation room, they see more and more people celebrating "his" capture.

"Hmm." Jane scoffed. They arrive at the interrogation room holding the captured vigilante.

"Here we go!" Henry laughed. As they stepped into the cold room, they saw a black-haired man with a sleeveless camouflage t-shirt and baggy khaki pants. The man's black hair had a grey streak going through it, he had an eye patch on his right eye and said eye patch had an "x" on it. The man's head was down on the grey steel table as if...

"He's sleeping" Jane yelled. Jane slammed her first down on the table, waking the 40-year-old looking man from his very short nap.

"Hmmm," the man groggily said. Jane grabs a file from the holder on the wall and throws it down on the table the man was lying down on. She shuffled through the file and found numerous photos of victims from his "heroics".

" Woooo! You have quite the record old man" Henry exclaimed. The old man didn't respond. He just sat there intently watching them go through his file.

"Alright! "Army Man" let's discuss your numerous crimes including Arson, 1st, and 2nd-degree, and assassinations on several political figures and civilians. The 50 Cal. sniper rifle with a missing barrel, the bloody body armor with a hole in it, and the singed pistol you were arrested with. Do you have anything to say for yourself?!" Jane yelled. The man looked confused and then realized what was going on.

"You're telling me that I'm being arrested for killing corrupt politicians and criminals." Army Man said. Jane looked at him confused."Where does the file say anything about the people he killed being corrupt." She thought. The man noticed this and motions to the wall. Jane looks and sees he's motioning toward the other files that were in the holder. Jane walks over and pulls them out. What she saw was bone-chilling.

"I-I see um I don't know what to say." The detective stuttered. Jane had seen many terrible people but the people that had been killed, they deserved it but not at the hands of a vigilante.

Jane yelled.``You think this changes anything, you took the law into your own hands and murdered these people...these monsters, people like you think you're above the law but not on my watch. You're going to serve the time you deserve, and just so you know this state does allow execution." The Man did not look phased by this by any means it seemed as if he were chuckling a little.

"What are you laughing for?!" Jane inquired. The man just seemed to be dying of laughter.

"Oh! Nothing it's just if you were there tonight you would know why." The man chuckled. Jane is frustrated with and interested in the old man's story and asks.

"Where tonight?" The man calmed down and began to tell the story of why we would know.

7:00 p.m. same day at a dock on the west side of town.

Army Man had infiltrated Velma Johansson's security. His plan is to isolate Velma so he can take her out without any witnesses except for his help a few yards away from the scene. Army Man then walked towards Velma who has been standing at the edge of the dock.

"Ugh!, Where are they?" Velma said. She was frustrated with the people she was supposed to be dealing with. on African American billionaire had a business suit on. Her hair was messy and slightly resembled a star. She was staring out into the sea waiting for transport, boat, or...something. Anything that means they'll be finally on time for once.

"Hmhm, " Army Man cleared his throat gaining Velma's attention"Ma'am are you okay?" Army Man asked the billionaire. She looked at Army Man's name tag and saw...

"Norman Huggs, how I am is not your business go back to the limo with the rest of the guards," Velma said harshly. Army Man needed an excuse to keep close to Velma for the plan to work.

"Umm, ma'am you hired security to make you feel secure. So why don't I just stay, to secure you, ``the Army Man said nervously. Velma not wanting to take this conversation any longer just agrees.

"Fine! Just stand there and be quiet" An agitated Velma said. They stood there for a couple of minutes until Army Man took out a harmonica and played"Trees(1922)".

"What are you doing," Velma asked. Army Man did not look at her just continued to play until Velma heard a scream come from the direction of the limo.

"What the hell. Go check that out Norman." She commanded. Army Man nodded and was about to walk back to the limo until the unconscious body of one the guards was flung toward Velma. She was knocked down by the guard's hefty figure but managed to get him off of her.

"What is happening?" Velma said as she stood up. She looked where the body originated from and saw a figure wearing wooden armor.

"Kinda weird." she thought. The figure looked at Velma then looked at Army Man who nodded his head at the wooden figure. The figure had the body type of a 17-year-old and wielded a wood bow. The woodman turned around and motioned towards the dock that Velma was standing on. A moment passed until Velma saw three more figures appear. This time one of them looked like their entire body was made of iron and cracking their knuckles. Another one was dressed in a hood with the image of a clown on the right sleeve of the jacket. And the last one was in a beige colored trench coat with a beige colored hat that matched the hat coat and had presumably scales on his skin.

"Okay! Not something that you see everyday." Velma said. The four began to approach Velma and Army Man.

"Okay you take two and i take two," Velma said. The Army Man backed away and said...

"No! You have to take five." Velma looking slightly annoyed just put her hands up as if she was being arrested by the police. They surrounded her and pointed their weapons at her. Army Man pointed at her with a 9mm pistol, the woodman pointed his bow and arrow, the hooded one had poker cards in his hands for some reason, the metal one, who from their body type was a female, and the scaly one didn't have a weapon in his hand he tucked his hands in the coat's pockets. They seemed intent on murdering her but the woodman put down his bow.

"Okay we've got her cornered," he said in a young voice" what do we do now." Army Man put his pistol down.

"We question her Ed obviously," the metal girl said to Ed in a Russian accent. Army Man pondered on what to say then it came to him.

"What connection do you have to the Pha?" Army Man inquired. Velma was completely surprised about the question she was just asked.

"Who are you talking about?" Velma asked. All of them looked angrily at her making her uncomfortable. The metal girl cracked her neck ready to attack until she was stopped by the hooded figure.

"You know who we're talking about, Sentinel." The hooded figure said in a playful manner. Velma was especially interested now. "Who is this sentinel guy?" She asked herself. Her captors waited impatiently for an answer. While she tried to think of an excuse to pull from somewhere she pressed a button on her business suit that said: "emergency only".

" Clearly there is a mistake here i don't know anyone named sentinel or in any way related to this Pha" Velma said with a lot more patience than she had at the moment. The button made a sound that alerted her captors.

"What was that?!" Ed said. Then Velma's entire body became covered with a metal suit.

"Sorry boys and girls but it's gonna take a lot more than that to take down Jenn... I mean Velma Johansson!" Velma said. Velma then rockets into the via rocket boots in the suit. The suit was bright pink and had white lenses for Velma to see through. Her captors didn't expect an Iron Man ripoff to fight today. They all assumed an offensive stand against the flying woman. Velma assessed the situation to see who was the strongest out of all her captors. She hypothesized that it must be Army Man. She rocketed towards Army Man with her fist ready to punch him in the face but was stopped all of a sudden by the metal girl. The metal woman flung Velma into the ground, cracking the pavement beneath her. Velma was trying to get up but was bound by the metal woman in a bear hug. Velma then transforms her left rocket foot into a battering ram and kicks her in the stomach. The metal woman grunts in pain.

"Catherine are you okay?!" Ed asks as Catherine transforms into her normal skin. Ed then fires two of his arrows at Velma. Velma catches both arrows and breaks them, they fall to the ground but they begin to change and morph into wooden chains. The chains weren't long enough to reach her arms but they latched onto her left foot.

"What the hell?!" Velma exclaimed. The chain pulled her down to the ground and transformed into bigger constraints. Velma struggled against the constraints and then had an idea.

"Computer energy output: 14% to upper arms," Velma said. The computer recognized Velma's voice and did as commanded. Her suited arms became very hot. The wood constraints began to catch fire.

"Wow, that's pretty COOL." The hooded one said. The flames snuffed out almost instantly and the wood began to freeze over. Velma was in complete awe from what she saw. "It couldn't be them." she thought. The hooded one revealed his face.

"THIS IS THE POWER OF MY STANDO," The hooded one yelled. Everyone, except Velma, facepalmed.

"Any joke, simile, metaphor, or common saying I say becomes true!" Army Man looked at him with a "You're in trouble" face

"Johnny, why would you reveal your face and ability to the enemy?" Catherine said.

"For reader convenience obviously!" Johnny said. Everyone looked confused except for Velma, she was preparing for something big.

"COMPUTER: ALPHA MODE!" Velma yelled. Her suit became very hot and burned the frozen wood almost burned instantly. Everyone looked at Velma.

"Looks like someone went "SICKO MODE"," Johnny said. Everyone glared at Johnny. Velma walked towards her captors. Everyone stepped back except the scaly one.

"Simon, what are you doing?" Catherine asked. Simon looked at her and then went back to Velma.

"What are you guys doing she's at her weakest point?" Simon asked.

"What are you saying?" Ed said. Simon's trench coat pulled back to reveal robotic legs. His legs had at every crevice and his feet were semi-circles. His feet then sprouted the other half of the circle. The other half was blue and radiating heat like no other source Velma had seen.

"She's moving slower than usual so we can maneuver around her and notice how she only activated this after she was bound by Ed's constraints. Her suit is running out of energy and this seems to be the battery saver mechanism." Simon said analytically. Velma tensed up at the statement.

"Hm! Seems I was right." Simon analyzed. Simon took his hands outside of his pockets and in them materialized two laserdiscs. He then roller-skated on his circle feet. Simon then expertly dodged all of Velma's attempts to grab him. Velma materialized a hammer from her suit. When she did this Simon noticed that a part of her back became exposed.

"Of course! she can't materialize metal out of nowhere she's pulling metal from other parts of her suit to make weaponry." Simon thought. Velma swung her hammer around trying to get a hit in on Simon but he was too fast. Army Man then looked at Johnny and nodded. Johnny ran towards the fighting duo. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a 50 Cal. Sniper and threw it back towards Army Man. He scoped in and waited till Johnny was out of the shot. Ed fired an arrow at Velma's feet and it transformed into another chain binding her to the ground. Johnny then threw one of his poker cards at her, scratching her suit.

10

Army Man was preparing to take the shot when he realized there was someone watching them he couldn't see them but he felt them. He recognized the presence from so many years ago.

9

The mysterious figure began to walk towards the scene.

8

Velma had a motion sensor go off in her suit.

7

A person emerged from the shadows behind Army Man.

6

Army Man was prepared to turn around and fire at the mysterious figure.

5

The mysterious figure put her hand on the hilt of her blade.

4

Army Man put his right hand on the trigger of the 50 Cal. and his left hand on the 9mm.

3

The figure began to unsheat her blade.

2

Army Man began to slowly draw his 9mm.

1

Everything was quiet except for the others attacking Velma.

Draw.

Army Man drew his pistol and was about to fire until. Army Man felt a pain in his chest. His two weapons were destroyed somehow. Army Man was in complete and utter disbelief "How did she stab me." He thought. He fell down in pain and clasped his upper torso. She walked past him and was approaching the fighting group. Until everyone stopped in their tracks and heard police sirens. Velma had the biggest smile on her face.

"You idiots I called the police while you were pounding on me senseless!" Velma exclaimed. The mysterious figure heard this and suddenly vanished, gone without a trace. The rest of the group turned around and saw Army Man bleeding out.

"Dad!" They all yelled. Army Man was passed out from the shock of the attacker. They all looked confused, "How could this happen!" they all thought.

"We gotta go!" Simon yelled. They all looked at their brother with confused and s faces.

"What about Ar!" Catherine said.

"We'll come back for him, but for now we gotta go!" Simon yelled as he motioned the rest of his to the direction they came from. Police cars and ambulances arrived at the scene within minutes of them leaving. With the police was Jane Johansson. Velma deactivated the Alpha suit and yelled at her aunt.

"Auntie Jane, over here!" Velma yelled. Jane heard this and pushed the countless amount of police officers away to get to her only niece.

"Velma!, " Jane yelled as she embraced her niece. Jane looked all over her niece looking for more wounds than she saw. Jane nearly broke down at the sight of her niece being alive.

"You're okay i thought i lost you," Jane said while crying. Velma embraced her aunt.

"Don't worry it takes a lot more than some unkillable soldier to take down the niece of Jane Johansson," Velma said. The ambulance team came to assist Velma in the ambulance. Meanwhile, Jane was the one to put the cuffs on the one-man army.

9:00 p.m. on the same day at the police station.

"And that's the story of why you would know." Army Man said. Jane was listening intently and pondering what she just heard. While Henry was asleep in his chair. Jane then started to wonder.

"Wait you said you had a hole in your chest that would've killed you?" Jane asked inquisitively. Army Man was surprised that she believed the part about all the powers of his children.

"I have a healing factor," he said. Jane took that answer and continued to think.

"Can you elaborate more on your accomplices or the figure that stabbed you?" Jane asked.

"No for two different reasons." Army man said. Jane accepted his answer and left the interrogation room. Army Man took as the type to question everything he just said apparently he was wrong. Meanwhile outside, Jane was completely angry.

"So what you said was true Velma," Jane said. She didn't want what Velma said so many weeks ago to be true.

Jane walked back into the room. Army Man was trying to see if he could wake up Henry with just his breath alone. Jane walked over to Army Man. She looked conflicted over what she was about to do.

"You killed people, you assaulted my niece, and honestly you talk too much. But if what you said was true you're a lot more valuable than I thought." Jane said. She then unlocked the cuffs that bound Army Man to the table. Army Man was confused.

"What are you doing?" Army Man asked. Jane dug through her pockets and pulled out a piece of paper that had an address on it.

"Go to this location if you want answers," Jane said cryptically. Army Man was more confused than he ever has been in his existence. But just as he was about to ask more questions the wall behind them blew apart. Blowing back both of them and severely injuring Henry. Johnny came through the hole and looked around for Army Man when he found him he was protecting Jane from the blast.

"Sorry that we had no other way to get in, so we decided to find an alternative," Johnny said nervously. Army Man checked Jane for a pulse.

"She has a heartbeat, she was knocked out from the impact." Army Man said. He looked at Johnny with a disappointed face. He walked out of the room through the hole on the wall. Outside was Ed in the driver's seat of a Jeep with a camouflage paint job. When Ed saw Johnny and Army Man approaching he started the car. Johnny saw Army Man holding the address that Jane gave to him.

"What's that?" Johnny asked. Army Man thought about what to say for a moment.

"A business meeting." Army Man said.

End of ch.1


	2. Chapter 2: welcome home

Chapter 2: Welcome home

10:00 .p.m. In the car, Army Man escaped with

Army Man was sitting shotgun with Ed in the driver's seat and Johnny in the back. Army Man was studying the piece of paper with the address on it.

"A cop that was chewing me out for taking the law into my own hands just risked her career to give me this address?" Army Man thought. Ed noticed Army Man was studying the address.

"So what are you gonna do with it?" Ed asked curious to hear his adoptive father's answer. Army Man pondered what to say for a moment.

"I'm gonna go." Army Man said. Ed was confused at his father's answer. "He knows that it's probably a trap for that brat to get revenge." Ed thought. Army Man saw his son's discomfort with the idea and tried to comfort him.

"Hey, if it was a trap why would they let me out of police custody." Army Man said while patting his son's back. Army Man was thinking about what weapons he should bring to impress the crowd when the car stopped. Army Man looked forward and saw a thick forest of tall sequoia trees. Ed got out of the car and walked up to the thick forest. Ed knocked on the sequoia right in front of him. After he knocked the sequoia completely unrooted itself. The sequoia turned around. The tree's eyes were a complete eerie yellow but showed the emotion of happiness as he saw his creator. The tree had a huge smile on its trunk.

"Hey Barky," Ed said to the tree. The sequoia picked up Ed with its long lanky arms. It muttered unintelligible gibberish.

"Awww, i missed you too buddy," Ed said as if he understands the sequoia. Ed then whispered something into the tree's ear. The tree then nodded his head and looked deeper into the forest and let out a guttural screech. The rest of the sequoia trees moved out of the way for Ed and the others to get through. Army Man switched to the driver's seat while Ed was being carried by Barky. While the group rides through the forest the trees behind them close the path they came from. Meanwhile, in the car johnny and Army Man are in awkward silence.

"Ok I'm sorry for what happened tonight at the police station, I wasn't thinking about the lives inside of the room," Johnny said in one breath. Army Man continued to drive forward not even acknowledging his son's statement.

"C'mon, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Johnny said desperately trying to gain his father's attention. Army Man continued to look forward. Johnny just gave up on trying to gain his father's approval.

"The first rule." Army Man said bluntly. Johnny wasn't paying attention and didn't know what his father said.

"What?" Johnny said confused. Army Man was a bit frustrated with his son but decided to be patient.

"The first rule that I taught you when using your powers." Army Man said. Johnny recalled that day his father was speaking of. That day Army Man had taken them in and decided to train them.

"The first rule, " Johnny said trying to remember.

"Always think about the consequences." Johnny and Army Man said in unison. Johnny looked over at his father with an ashamed face.

"Tonight you broke that rule, " Army Man said strictly. Johnny looked away from his adoptive father with a more ashamed face. Army Man looked at his son with a sympathetic face.

"But you can learn from that experience and be better." Army Man said with a soft voice. Johnny looked slightly better from that comment.

The group was approaching their destination, but in the dark woods, there was a figure watching them. The group arrived at an entire wooden mansion. Outside of the mansion was Simon standing on the roof presumably on the lookout for intruders. Army Man parked the Jeep and got out with Johnny. Ed was lowered from the sequoia's grasp.

"Thanks for the ride, " Ed said to Barky. Barky let out a happy grunt. Barky then walked back to the front of the forest. Ed waved Barky away the entire time he was in his sight. Ed walked back to Army Man and Johnny.

"How was your enchanted forest ride," Johnny said. Ed punched Johnny in the arm for the joke. They began to walk to the house. Once they entered the home they saw Catherine and a six-year-old boy coloring together on the floor. Catherine was talking to the boy about dreams. The boy looked up and saw Army Man.

"Dad!" The boy yelled out of excitement. The boy hugged Army Man's left leg with all his might, which wasn't that much,

"Hey! There's my little boy." Army Man said as he picked up the boy. The boy was wearing blue jeans and a custom made army jacket with a red t-shirt, just for his size, and was wearing rain boots. He had a low haircut and blue eyes.

"Dad where were six-year you?" The boy asked his biological father.

"Dad was out on "adult business" Percy, " Army Man said. Percy rolled his eyes as he thought "adult business" was boring. Army Man put Percy down and walked over to the paper that Percy and Catherine were coloring.

"What were you drawing over here?" Army Man asked. Army Man picked up a crude drawing of an owl man holding a broadsword.

" You've drawn better." Army Man said as he picked up another drawing. This time the drawing surprised Army Man it was of the mysterious figure that attacked him on the dock. He looked at his son who was drawing a man completely made out of glass.

"Percy where did you see this person?" Army Man asked him The boy looked at the drawing and grabbed the owl man drawing.

"I saw these in a dream," Percy said as he handed the drawings to his father. Looked at the two drawings. "It couldn't be." Army thought.

"What was the dream about?" Army Man asked his sin worried. Percy was thinking about the question then remembered.

"It was about this glass man and how he was bullying the owl man and she came in," Percy said as he smiled proud of himself for telling his epic story. Army Man was taken aback by this and was about to ask more until Simon yelled out for his family to look at "this". Army Man put the drawings down and went out the door followed by Johnny, Ed, and Catherine. When they came out they saw Simon facing down the mysterious figure that attacked earlier.

, " Hey," The mysterious figure said as she winked at Army Man. Army Man was surprised that she had the guts to show up on his doorstep. The figure was dressed differently. She was dressed in a black stealth suit with a grey helmet that had red streaks on it. The helmet had two red lenses presumably for her to see through. The figure's swords had very strange craftsmanship than the average blade. They had cutlass style hilt with a broadsword like blade.

"So this is where the great soldier lives. Huh! I thought it'd be some run-down abandoned warehouse." The mysterious figure said playfully.

"How did you get past Barky and the other sequoia's?!" Ed said. The mysterious figure chuckled a little.

"I mean they aren't that smart all I had to say was " I'm the friend of Eddie's"." The mysterious figure said. Everyone surrounded the mysterious figure with their weapons drawn. Catherine turned her skin into metal, Ed had his bow drawn, Army Man grabbed a backup pistol from his boot, Simon had his laserdiscs at the ready, and Johnny was prepared to make a joke. Then Percy looked outside.

"Hey! You're from my dream." Percy said excitedly. Percy never thought dreams could come true. He ran over to the mysterious figure until he was stopped by Simon.

"Hey Perc, how about you head back inside," Simon said to his little brother while still holding his eyes on the unknown intruder. Percy looked around and saw his family about to attack the mysterious lady. Percy was confused. "How could someone who stopped a bully be a bad guy?" Percy thought. Percy pushed Simon's hand away from him and continued to run towards the lady.

"Guys stop she isn't a bad guy she stopped a bad guy in my dream that I told you about dad," Percy said while looking at his father. Army Man was nervous Percy had run right into the arms of the enemy so he had to be careful about how he approached the situation.

"Percy, " Army Man said as slowly holstered his weapon." how about you come to daddy." Army Man said as he knelt down with his arms extended. Percy kept close to the mysterious figure. The mysterious figure knelt down on one knee and patted Percy's head.

"How about you go towards your family, " The figure said.

"But if I leave who's gonna protect you?!" Percy said as he looked towards the lady. The lady laughed a little bit.

"Don't worry I can protect myself, now run along, " The figure said. Percy seemed a little sad at the statement.

"Yes, ma'am," Percy said sadly. The mysterious figure didn't like it when people called her ma'am.

" Hey don't call me that call me Thirteen." Thirteen said. Percy looked happier when he learned the lady's name.

"Ok, Thirteen," Percy said as he ran towards his dad. Army Man hugged his son.

"Percy go back into the house please!" Army Man said to Percy. Percy looked at Thirteen and back to his father.

"Ok, dad, " Percy said as he ran back into the wooden mansion. Army Man was relieved that Percy was out of harm's way. Army Man then stood up and looked at Thirteen.

"Nice, kid, " Thirteen said. Army Man glared at Thirteen and drew his pistol at the figure.

"Why are you here?!" Army Man asked. Thirteen was a little surprised at the straight to the point attitude portrayed by the old man. Thirteen surveyed her surroundings she saw Army Man's children and guessed their powers in the order from right to left.

Ed: Dendrokinesis(the ability to control wood)

Catherine: Metal mimicry(the ability to turn your body into metal), and some form of super-strength

Simon: laserdisc projection(has the ability to summon laserdiscs from seemingly nowhere), also can roller skate on robotic legs

Johnny: Reality manipulation( can make any joke, simile, or metaphor come true), has presumably poker cards for combat

She chuckled a little bit. "They can't be serious have they never heard of me" Thirteen thought. She had put her hands on the hilt of her blades.

Everyone was prepared to shoot. She slowly drew them and dropped them on the ground and kicked them towards Army Man.

"There I'm disarmed you can put down your weapons." Thirteen said casually. Army Man lowered his pistol and the others took that as a signal to stand down.

"The reason I'm here is because I want to team up." Thirteen said.

"For what?!" Catherine asked. Thirteen looked over and saw the angry 17-year-old in an attack stance.

"Umm, I don't know who's the person we're both after, " Thirteen said sarcastically. Catherine was about to punch the suited lady until Ed held her back.

"So you want to stop Sentinel too?" Ed asked Thirteen."They're actually falling for this?!" Thirteen thought.

"I mean yeah who wouldn't want to stop Sentinel and all the others that work with her!" Thirteen said with passion. Army Man knew she was probably lying about wanting to take Sentinel down but she wants something to do with her.

"Oh please, do you really think we'd trust a person who just showed up at our doorstep?!" Catherine exclaimed.

"Yes, I do!" Thirteen said plainly.

"And we will." Army Man followed up as he gave Thirteen her swords back. Everyone looked at their father with confused and concerned faces. Meanwhile, Percy, who has been eavesdropping on them the entire time, runs out of the house.

"Yay!" Percy exclaimed as he went to hug the woman he just met. Thirteen was surprised at the child's enthusiasm. Catherine walked over and pulled Percy away from Thirteen. Simon walked over to Army Man.

"You really think we can trust her?" Simon asked his father.

"I mean Percy trusts her." Army Man said. Simon looked over and saw Percy dragging Thirteen in the house to look at his drawings with an overprotective Catherine behind. Simon looked at Army Man with a concerned face. Army Man noticed this and patted his scaly son on the shoulder reassuringly. Army Man followed Percy and the rest of the group into the mansion. Thirteen was sat down on the couch while Percy fetched his drawings, she looked around the room and saw everyone getting out of their combat suits.

Ed turned his armor into a nightstand, Catherine went to the back to change, Johnny took off his jacket and hung it up on the coat rack, and Simon just stood in the corner like a loner keeping an eye on everyone. Ed with his armor off was revealed to be an Asian, probably Cambodian, with black hair and brown eyes. The clothes he had underneath his armor we're a white environmentalist t-shirt that read"Leaf me alone" with an illustration of a sad tree and a lumberjack cutting it down.

Catherine walked back to the front changed from her combat suit. She was a white teen with long curly blonde hair, she wore a plain white t-shirt and red plaid pajama pants. Johnny without his coat was a white teen with short dyed red hair, he wore merchandise for a band called"The Jokestars" the shirt appeared to be for a rock band. Percy returned with some more of his drawings, this time the drawings we're of a man wearing a crown without a right arm, a bird fighting diamonds, and hearts, and a young boy and a bag looking at a bag.

"You have a big imagination, don't you?" Thirteen said with a smile. Army Man loved to watch Percy show off his artistic talents purely to brag about that was his son. Percy began to go on a tangent about ancient items that were destroyed by their creator, while thirteen listened intently. Catherine went upstairs to get the file on Sentinel and other PHA agents and operations, while Johnny and Ed make dinner.

Catherine walked back to the front changed from her combat suit. She was a white teen with long curly blonde hair, she wore a plain white t-shirt and red plaid pajama pants. Johnny without his coat was a white teen with short dyed red hair, he wore merchandise for a band called"The Jokestars" the shirt appeared to be for a rock band. Percy returned with some more of his drawings, this time the drawings we're of a man wearing a crown without a right arm, a bird fighting diamonds, and hearts, and a young boy and a bag looking at a bag.

"You have a big imagination, don't you?" Thirteen said with a smile. Army Man loved to watch Percy show off his artistic talents purely to brag about that was his son. Percy began to go on a tangent about ancient items that were destroyed by their creator, while thirteen listened intently. Catherine went upstairs to get the file on Sentinel and other PHA agents and operations, while Johnny and Ed make dinner.

"Wow! But wait if he destroyed them then how did the wise owl find Sammy 1000 years later?!" Thirteen asked the child.

"It's obvious isn't it Sammy survived the evil creator's rampage," Percy explained.

"Ohhhh!" Thirteen said in realization. Percy continued on with his story about how the wise owl helped Sammy the sword find his rightful place in the universe. Thirteen listened to the boy ramble on about his dreams until Catherine came back downstairs with the files on the PHA. Thirteen looked

at the thick file in amazement.

"This organization is secret?!" Thirteen said. Percy stopped telling his epic tale to hear what the adults were talking about until he grew bored and began to clean his mess. Thirteen opened the file and saw names such as Anita Williams, Marie Eisner, and Roger Haber. She continued to look through the files in her lap until she came upon a very special folder labeled "Pe's left to find", Thirteen, intrigued by the folder, opened it and saw numbers and names that began with the abbreviation: "PE-". The more she looked through it the more the mystery grew. She kept looking and skimming until she came across a page labeled" The Slaughter". The page had all kinds of information on what "The Slaughter" could be. There were sticky notes listing possible locations such as Lindfield, Ohio, and Jackson, Florida. Thirteen was about to continue until Army Man came into the room with an announcement.

"Alright everyone we have a new associate with us that wants to help us take down Sentinel, " Army Man said as everyone stopped what they were doing and entered the room. Everyone looked towards Thirteen with Percy wrapped under her arm.

"Now we have to discuss our newest leads on the PHA and Sentinel as a whole. I'll go over what we know about Sentinel so far." Army Man said while he grabbed a file from the stack Thirteen was holding. He went back to the front of the room and began to debrief everyone, mainly Thirteen on the situation.

"The only thing we know for sure is that Sentinel is the lead-in for surveillance for the PHA. She keeps track of any loose ends that may threaten the organization. We've lost multiple leads because of her state of the art cameras, drones, and intel. Any questions so far?" Army Man asked the room. Nobody was asking any questions except for Percy who had his hand raised as if he was in a classroom.

"Yes, Percy?" Army asked his inquisitive son.

"Umm, can I go to the bathroom?" Percy asked nervously.

"Of course you can Perc. Any more questions?!" Army Man asked the room hoping to get a question about the situation at hand. This time Thirteen raised her hand to ask a question about the PHA.

"Thirteen?" Army asked with the intent ears of an old dog.

"What makes you think that Velma Johansson is the elusive Sentinel. I mean if you haven't caught her yet what makes you think she's one of the most famous people in the world?!" Thirteen inquired as Percy left for the bathroom.

"We intercepted communication that said "Sentinel would be by the docks that were on the west side of town". And low and behold there was Velma Johansson on the West side of town, waiting for someone no less." Army Man proclaimed. Thirteen thought about the information for a second and accepted it. Simon, on the other hand, was thinking about the events that transpired on the dock. Simon raised his hand to ask a question, Army Man pointed towards Simon to indicate for him to ask his question.

"Why were you on the docks earlier today Thirteen?" Simon asked with a serious tone. Thirteen laughed at the question asked, "Oh please you're just now asking that question." Thirteen thought to herself.

"Velma and your father have a high bounty on their heads so I thought why not cash them in while they're in the same place. But now that Velma's gone into hiding I need your help to find her." Thirteen said as she wrapped her arms around Percy since he returned.

"Wait so you mean to tell me that you came to ask the man, whose bounty you tried to cash in, for help to cash in someone else's bounty?" Catherine asked. Thirteen simply nodded as Percy whispered something in her ear.

"Alright that's it I'm going to kill her," Catherine said as she turned her skin into titanium. Ed sat her back down to think rationally, while Thirteen answered Percy's talking fish question.

"Ed what are you doing she's clearly a spy sent to kill us?!" Catherine said aggressively to her brother.

"Ok I have to admit after that last statement I trust her a little bit less than I did before but we have to trust Dad on this alright," Ed said comfortingly. Catherine calmed down and listened to the rest of the debriefing.

"So that's everything on Sentinel now everything we have on the PHA as a whole, " Army Man said while reaching for another folder in the stack.

"Wait what about that address you had earlier when we left the police station earlier do you think it has anything to do with the PHA?!" Johnny asked his father. Army Man thought about it for a second then went to the back to grab something. Thirteen was confused, "What address?!" She thought as Percy rambled on about ancient wizards who live in a secret island.

"What were you guys talking about?" Thirteen asked Johnny.

"When we rescued dad from the fuzz he had an address in his hands," Johnny said. Army Man returned with a computer in hand, he opened it and looked around the keyboard for a long time until Catherine got up and turned it on. She then got the address from Army Man and typed it into a map website.

"It says that this address is on the outskirts of Center City, " Catherine said.

"What's the address?" Thirteen asked.

"It's West Hunter Blvd. why do you ask" Catherine answered? When Catherine looked up to face Thirteen but she was gone without a trace. Catherine and everybody else in the room were confused until she looked down and saw the paper with the address was gone.

Everyone looked at the now open door and saw Thirteen running away.

"She's got the address!" Catherine yelled. Everyone except Percy got up and ran outside. Thirteen wasrunning like there was no tomorrow, until she was stopped by a mysterious force.

She looked down and saw wooden chains, formed by two arrows shot by Ed.

"Damn it!" Thirteen yelled as she tried to cut through the wood but, for some reason, her swords only made chips into the wood.

"Don't bother I can control the physical properties of wood itself and hardness is a physical property." Ed proclaimed as the family moved in. Thirteen then took a deep breath and seemingly teleported out of the chains. "Wait what?!" Ed thought to himself. The chains were fine except for the chips Thirteen made into them from what he had seen. Everyone was trying to figure out what had happened in the mansion "how did she get past me?" Simon asked himself. "How could I let this happen?!" Army Man scolded himself. Thirteen was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion alone, she knew that her ability can cause harm upon herself but all she needed to do was to get away.

"Looks like your in a sticky situation!" Johnny exclaimed.

Then Thirteen couldn't move her boots were stuck to the ground, bound by some mysterious adhesive. Meanwhile, Army Man began to think about what was happening, "She clearly has an ability but what is it?" Army Man pondered. He thought about all the previous run-ins and examples she could've used this ability. He flashed back to the dock and how she outdrew him and got away without a trace and then it hit him. The times where she escaped without them seeing her, how she seemingly evaded every attack.

"Kids I know what her ability is!" Army Man proclaimed. He was about to say it until Thirteen teleported in front of him and stabbed him through the throat. Nobody even saw her coming she just appeared out of nowhere.

"You monster!" Simon yelled as he summoned six laserdiscs and went into roller rink mode. As he approached her he threw at least 12 laserdiscs every second. Thirteen was exhausted beyond belief she could barely make the distance between her and Army Man she couldn't take a 1v4 at her current state. Thirteen knelt down to catch her breath and when Simon finally got to her she threw dirt in his eyes blinding him. She then took her swords and jammed them into one of the crevices in his mechanical legs he lost his balance and fell over. Thirteen took her swords back and was about to stab him until she was hit back into the wall of the mansion by Barky.

"You not Eddie's friend!" Barky growled at Thirteen. Thirteen sighed at the entrance of another combatant. Barky wasn't alone with him many of fellow sequoia brethren and with them was Ed in the front. Catherine and Johnny were tending to Army Man and Simon while Ed and the sequoias deal with Thirteen. Thirteen tried to stand up but was too injured and immediately fell back down. Barky picked up Thirteen and punched her through the wall of the mansion where Percy was. Percy ran over to Thirteen to see if she was okay.

"Perc stay away from her!" Ed yelled for his little brother to hear him. But it was too late Percy touched Thirteen's shoulders and for some reason, a green aura surrounded the woman all her stamina was replenished, her wounds had been healed, and she seemed stronger than took the boy's hand.

"Thanks, kid." She said as she stood up. Barky grabbed a giant piece of earth and was prepared to throw at Thirteen but she wasn't planning on fighting anyone, all she wanted to do was to...

"RUN!" She yelled at Percy as she became a blue blur and teleported behind Barky and the rest of the sequoias. She wanted to teleport to get away further but she was shot in the shoulder by an injured Army Man who proceeded to pass out. Thirteen was in pain but she knew she had continued. She continued to teleport even though she had a bullet wound in her left shoulder. She continued to teleport until she was out of the forest. After she left the forest she felt all the strength Percy gave her leave.

She passed out on the road that was one mile the mansion. Meanwhile, Ed, Johnny, Catherine, and Percy were left at home with an unconscious Army Man, Out of commission Simon, and a destroyed mansion.

End of ch. 2


	3. Chapter 3:Fallback

Chapter 3: Fallback

**12:30 a.m. at the destroyed mansion an angry Catherine yells at a frustrated Ed and Johnny**

"No!" Catherine yelled at her two brothers. "We are not going to the address!" She continued to yell. Johnny and Ed were worried that Thirteen might beat them to the Address, whatever might be at the address was to valuable to fall into the hands of anyone who could be working for the PHA.

"We can't let her get to the address before us, who knows what could be there?!" Ed said. Ed was preparing to leave with Johnny while Catherine was yelling. Meanwhile, Percy and a now awake and fully healed Army Man was tending to Simon.

"Are you ok in the wheelchair Simon." Army Man asked Simon who was in a wooden wheelchair that Ed had created.

"Yeah, I think she really did a number on my legs." Simon said as he looked at his damaged legs.

" Do you think Smoky is gonna be able to fix them?" Simon asked his father. Army Man thought for a second but was interrupted by Catherine's yelling.

"No we aren't fighting her again! She's got an ability that's ten times stronger than Mirror Master's!" Catherine yelled. Army Man was tired of Cathrine's yelling and walked over to the trio.

"Look we clearly weren't ready for an enemy that could teleport but we can't give up! We have to go the address and hope we get there before she does." Army Man said to his arguing children.

"Dad! You know what I just realized!" Simon exclaimed to his father."This isn't a full address it's the name a street." Army Man looked at his son with a disappointed face.

"Of course Simon! Whoever is at the location doesn't want just anybody to find their location that easily they don't even want the person ,they gave it to, to find them without a hunt," Army Man said. Simon felt dumb for not figuring it out before his father, while Percy was trying to understand the logicistics of the exchange.

" But how do we know if she hasn't beat us to the street?!" Catherine said.

"We don't." Army Man said as he walked to hole in the mansion. "We go to the address and hope that she hasn't." Army Man said bluntly. " Now go get ready we got a business meeting to go to!" Army said as he chuckled.

Everyone, except for Simon, went to get ready including Percy, Johnny put his jacket back on, Ed grabbed sticks from the sequoias and transformed them into arrows and daggers, Catherine put her special combat suit back on, Percy grabbed his " Middle-Aged Mutant Samurai Tortoises" backpack and filled it with paper and crayons, and Army Man grabbed his Desert Eagle, Combat knife, extra ammo that he stuffed in his combat boots, and a picture of him, Catherine, Ed, Johnny, Percy, a woman, and Simon standing off to the side. Army Man kissed the woman's forehead and put the photo in one of his khaki's pockets. Everyone, except for Simon, got into the truck.

" Smoky will be here in an hour or two to come fix your legs!" Johnny yelled at his wheelchair bound brother. Simon was on the front porch still doing his job of looking for intruders he looked at everyone and gave them a thumbs up, but as he did this Percy ran out of the house.

"Wait!" Percy yelled. " I'm coming too." Percy said. Army Man thought about it for a second, while Catherine already had her mind made up.

"No! Sir, Mister you are staying here for uncle Smoky while we go stop Thirteen!" Catherine said.

"He can come." Army Man said while starting the Jeep.

"What!" Catherine and Percy said at the same time. Catherine was confused by her father's answer, while Percy was ecstatic.

"Oh Yeah!" Johnny said imitating the Kool-Aid man while opening the car door for Percy. Percy jumped into the backseat with Ed and Johnny, with Army Man driving and Catherine going shotgun.

"You can't be serious dad. He's six he can barely articulate simple multiplication!" Catherine said passive aggressively.

"He's smart. Plus he can be lookout." Army Man said, trying to reassure a worried Catherine, while also driving out of the driveway. Catherine sat there in her seat while Percy was asking Johnny all kinds of questions about all of their previous missions.

"Have you guys met a talking grasshopper?!" Percy asked excitedly. Everyone was confused and kind of amused by the question.

"Where did you get that from Perc?" Johnny asked. Percy dug into his backpack and pulled out a drawing of Johnny, Ed, Catherine, Simon, a person dressed up as a grasshopper, and Army Man fighting a white silhouette of a man.

" I saw him standing next to you in a dream and you guys were fighting a "mirror man" and he was talking about how you guys left him." Percy talked about in great detail. Army Man didn't like his son's dreams sometimes he was worried that Percy had some sort of precognition.

"Percy have you had any more dreams about Thirteen?" Army Man asked his son worriedly. Percy thought about it for a second and took out a picture of Thirteen on a burning plane with two skeletons standing next to her. One of the skeletons was smaller than her and the other was taller she seemed sad about the skeletons. The drawing was just unsettling for everyone as it was passed around, Army Man didn't get a good look at the drawing,because he was driving, but he had a good idea of what was happening.

"Hey we have a long way to go, so if you're sleepy I suggest you go ahead and get some shut eye." Army Man said to the rest of the car. Percy yawned and laid his head on Johnny's arms, Johnny laid down on Ed's shoulder, while Ed laid his head back on the seat with that the entire backseat was asleep, while Catherine and Army Man sat there in silence for another moment.

" I think we were wrong about Percy." Army Man said nervously.

"What do you mean?" Catherine inquired.

" I think he has some sort of time peering ability where he can see into the past and the future but so far he can only do it in his sleep." Army Man said to his confused daughter.

"But you know he has a big imagination, like that one time when he was talking about an owl raising a fish and an octopus" Catherine said stumbling over her words.

"Does a wild imagination think of a plane crash that happened in 2026, one that devastated an entire city and killed thousands?!" Army Man said. Catherine was surprised that her father even recognized a historical event from a six year old's drawing.

" How did you know that this was a crash site that happened 14 years ago?" Catherine asked her adoptive father. Army Man's mood seemed to be dampened by the question.

" I was on the plane," Army Man said sadly. " I could've stopped it but i couldn't react fast enough, it was a complicated moment I would go more into it but you're not ready for it." Army Man said with a guilty face. Catherine felt like the new depressing mood was going to suffocate her, she had to change the subject.

"Umm, so back to Percy's ability do you think he really has the ability to see into the future?" Catherine asked her father.

"Yes I do, I mean how else could he have seen Thirteen at the crash site and in other dreams." Army Man said. Catherine was in deep thought about this supposed revelation,"If that drawing saw into Thirteen's past I wonder if any others have insight into the future?!" Catherine thought to herself. Catherine reached into the backseat and gently took off Percy's backpack, she began to look through all the drawings that Percy brought along with him. She saw one with a boy holding a book with four eyes on it, one with two kids in futuristic cells, and one with a child crying over a sword. Catherine kept looking in the backpack but found nothing.

"I think I'll hit the hay." Catherine said while yawning. Army Man nodded his head in agreeance. Catherine fell asleep while trying to think of ways to defeat Thirteen.

**5:00 a.m. in a dinner's parking lot 30 minutes away from West Hunter Blvd.**

Johnny woke up to the sun in his eyes and Percy hugging him in his sleep, Johnny got off of Ed ,whose head is on the Jeep's door, and looked around and saw a now actually asleep Catherine and Army Man who had a warm cup of joe in his hand,Presumably from the dinner. Army Man turned around and saw an awake Johnny, Jonny's hood was down and his short black hair was in a mess, and his green eyes had eye crust on them. Johnny yawned and was about to ask where they were but was stopped by a knock on the window, Johnny looked over and saw his uncle "The Dealer", the twenty nine year old Filipino man had a solid gold right eye and a completely normal brown left eye, he had a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled down revealing that on his right arm he had a tattoo on it that read "PE-456" in black ink. Johnny had the same tattoo but it read "PE-231", Johnny always questioned if that means that he came before Dealer in some sort of process or if the numbers were counting down to something. Dealer had short black curly hair with yellow streaks going through it.

"Heya it seems one of the brats actually woke up after all." Dealer said playfully. Dealer had been a family friend for nearly two years now and knew the kids pretty well, although Army Man thought he was a bad influence on Johnny he had to admit that Dealer did teach Johnny the sense of humor he has now a days.

"And I see the con artist got his lazy ass up." Johnny said back to the older man. Army Man glared at Johnny for his language, but Johnny shrugged him off while making himself look a little bit more decent. Johnny then gently got Percy off of him to get out of the car, once out of the car Johnny and Dealer began their special handshake which consists moves that Army Man wasn't able to describe them.\

"What are you doing here Deal?!" Johnny asked the man.

"Well your pops wanted me to scout out the road up ahead for any clues on the street for ya, but there weren't any suspicious figures or mysterious suited ladies." Dealer said looking at the notes he had written down.

"That's either good or bad." Army Man said before taking another sip of his coffee.

"Well I did the job you asked me to do so when do I get paid?" Dealer said. Army Man grunted before going into one of the Jeep's compartments and pulled out fifty dollars, Army Man gave Dealer the money.

"Thank you for your time,Sir." Dealer said while counting the money. Ed and Percy began to wake up from their sleep while Johnny tried to steal some of Dealer's money.

"Good morning little sapling." Dealer said to Ed, Ed groggily scowled at him because he hated that nickname.

"Hey uncle Deal." Percy said before yawning, Dealer picked up Percy and swung him around.

"C'mon how's my little artist doing?!" Dealer said playfully as he swung his proclaimed nephew in through the air, Percy laughed as his uncle did this. As if she was telepathically connected to the boy Catherine woke up and looked for Percy and saw him with their uncle. Catherine got up out of the car and walked towards the two and grabbed Percy from Dealer.

"Ugh here we go again. You know if you want a kid how about you go get a man who doesn't have their head up their ass." Dealer said and was immediately punched by Catherine, to which Army Man chuckled.

"So where's detective scales?" Dealer said while rubbing his cheek and looking for Simon, even if Catherine didn't transform into a metal she still could beat one of the sequoias in arm wrestling.

"Thirteen broke his legs with her swords." Percy said while trying to get down from Catherine's grasp. Dealer wasn't told anything about what happened at the mansion and was kinda confused by the absence of Simon.

"Let me guess you got that old man to fix his legs again?" said to Army Man playfully.

"Smoky is only 67 years 's old but not that old." Army Man said with a smile on his face. Dealer rolled his eyes at the older man's statement and looked back to his niece and nephews.

"You guys want something to eat. I just got paaaaiiid!" Dealer said while flexing his fifty dollars, no one was impressed except for Percy. Everyone nodded their heads and followed Dealer except for Army Man.

"Are you coming dad?" Catherine stopped to ask her father.

"I already got my morning food! Plus I'll go ahead and start searching for the correct place." Army Man said while smiling. Catherine rolled her eyes and continued after her brothers who went into the dinner as Army Man pulled out of the parking lot.

The dinner was called Susan's dinner and was styled to look like a classic 1980s dinner. Inside there were four other people one was the waitress who had rollerskates on, another was the cashier, and the other two were sitting at the same table. One of them seemed to be a handicapped teenager with his wheelchair to the side of his seat and his back towards the group. The other was a pale skinned woman who by the looks of it had two different eye colors her left a light blue and her right a very dark green, she had dyed her hair a darker shade of blue than her left eye. She and the teenager seemed to be talking about something serious because when the woman caught a glimpse of the group she began to talk quieter. The group walked up to the cashier who was a typical dinner outfit under his apron.

"Welcome to Susan's dinner how may I help you?" The cashier said with a New Jersey accent.

Dealer said their order without even stumbling on a single word. "Umm, I'll take a Quadruple decker burger, the girl will take two full plates of chicken, the guy behind me will take a salad, the guy beside me will take a burger as well, and the kid will take the kids meal with some crayons and a dinner mat."

The cashier somehow wrote all of that down and went to the back to get it ready. Caherine was kind of embarrassed by her uncle saying she wanted two full plates of chicken,while Ed was surprised that his uncle ordered him a salad and this dinner actually had that as an option. The group sat down right next to the handicap and the woman and waited for their food.

"So how are you guys gonna beat this Thirteen person?" Dealer asked Catherine.

"I have a plan and it requires you,Johnny," Catherine said.

"So what's the plan?" Ed asked his sister.

"I can't let anyone know because if I do it might not work." Catherine said. Ed looked confused by his sister's statement,while Dealer was kind of annoyed.

"Let me guess the only two in on it are you and dad isn't it." Johnny said.

"No." Catherine said before being interrupted.

"You don't have to lie to us Cathy we know your daddy's favorite." Dealer said.

"You don't have a say in this!" Catherine said angrily.

"Umm excuse me can you please dial it down?" The handicapped teen said. He got in his wheelchair, grabbed a ginormous duffel bag, and rolled over to the group, the group was confused by the entrance of this teen but wanted to hear his two cents.

" So you all seem to be having issues with your dad, but can you please settle your family issues outside so the rest of us can go about our day." The teen said. The woman got up and came over, Catherine looked the two down and saw that the woman looked familiar but she didn't know where she saw her.

"What do you what?!" Johnny asked the teen.

"Your number." The teen said playfully. Johnny's face was a tomato red, while everyone,except for Johnny and Percy, were snickering and chuckling. Meanwhile,Percy was trying to understand the joke.

"Listen snarky remarks are my thing, so I'm gonna let you get away with that one last time." Johnny said menacingly with his face still red, while pointing at the teen. The woman whispered something into the teen's ear, the teen opened and reached into the bag for a grasshopper head looking helmet and handing the bag to the woman before she left. Percy looked at the helmet with curious eyes.

"Oh! You want to know what this is?" The teen said to the child, while holding up the helmet. Percy felt like the helmet looked familiar he was intent on figuring out why it felt so familiar. Percy just sat there looking at the teen making him uncomfortable.

"Perc you okay?" Ed asked his little brother.

"Your helmet looks familiar." Percy said to the teen.

"I don't know where you woul…." The teen said before being interrupted.

"No, I think Perc is right you do look familiar." Johnny said to the teen.

" Look! I ,Jim Herman Walker, has never seen or met any of you!" Jim said. Everyone looked at the teen with suspicious looks, until a lightbulb went off in Catherine's head.

"The grasshopper in Percy's dream!" Catherine said while jumping onto the table.

" How do they know who I am?! It doesn't matter, I just gotta stall until Thirteen gets back." Jim whispered not to quietly, Catherine heard this and turned her skin to Iron.

"Your with Thirteen?!" Catherin asked, while approaching Jim then lifting him by his shirt.

"Wait if he's with Thirteen then, The woman that just left!" Ed exclaimed. Catherine dropped Jim and tried to leave the dinner.

Jim grabbed the grasshopper looking helmet and put it on his head.

"Activate: Ironclad Beetle form!" Jim said. An armor formed around Jim ,even creating robotic legs for him, from the helmet down, the armor was colored black with white spots the helmet transformed into the head of an Ironclad beetle instead of a grasshopper.

Johnny looked at Jim and began laughing his ass off, Dealer joined in as well.

"What are you wearing?!" Johnny laughed.

"Welcome to A Bug's Life!" Dealer chuckled. Jim ignored the two and lunged towards Catherine, He knocks her over tries to punch her but she turns her skin into Iron.

"Damn it!" Jim yelled as he hit Catherine skin. Catherine threw Jim off of her and stood up, she ran towards Jim with speed and force of a truck. Jim reacts to this and gave the suit another command.

"Activate: Grasshopper form!" Jim yelled as the suit transformed into a bright green and the helmet turned back into its grasshopper form. Jim bounced off of the ground and out of Catherine's way as she bulldozed towards the counter.

Catherine hit the counter making a huge dent, Jim used his, really bouncy, legs and pushed her past the counter, through the doors ,hiding the back of the dinner, and into the kitchen. The cooks were confused by the sudden entrance of a girl in their kitchen followed by a huge grasshopper.

Catherine stood up and went into a professional boxer's defensive position. Jim chuckled at Catherine's stance and ran at the girl. He jumped at her while running the momentum caused Catherine to be knocked down.

"Activate: Bull Ant Mandibles" Jim said. The suit formed black mandibles in Jim's hand. The blades looked sharp, Sharp enough to cut clean through Iron. Catherine had to change her skin but didn't have enough time to get up, change her skin into Titanium, and kick this kid's ass at the same time.

**Meanwhile, Army Man was on West Hunter Blvd. looking for a clue to the place he was supposed to go.**

Army Man was walking down the practically empty street. He was in a predominantly minority filled neighborhood, people were walking down the sidewalks, kids were playing tag in the streets, seniors were watching the kids, it was just a normal day. But, all Army Man focused on were the signs of graffiti on the boarded up houses. Army Man knew what they stood for it was a gang that he "disassembled" last week. Army Man just wanted to wipe the world clean of that stupid maring, the marking that symbolized terrible situation those men were born into. While contemplating Army Man took out the piece of paper,with the address on it, and looked it over one last time before going to ask one of the civilians that lived there. When he gave up trying to look by himself, he walked up the steps of an old brick house ,that seemed to be built in the early 2000s, and knocked on the door three times.

Before the door was answered, Army Man heard a cane being used to walk towards the door to answer. When the door was opened, it revealed a 69 year old man with a cane. The old man was white with long dulled red hair with grey streaks going through. The old man was wearing a grey long sleeve shirt and a blue sweater on top. He was wearing glasses with strings on the back to keep from falling off his face.

" Hello there young man." The old man said to Army Man.

"Hello Sir. I wanted to ask you some questions." Army Man said to the old man.

"Oh no don't call me Sir I lost that privilege a long time ago. Call me Joseph." Joseph said with a melancholy smile.

"I was wondering do you know a woman named Jane Johansson?" Army Man asked Joseph.

"Oh no I'm sorry, but I know her niece Velma, she visited me and Smoky yesterday. She's a very nice girl she brings us her sweet boy,Alex, too, we sit and talk for hours while Alex knits six sweaters at once." Joseph rambled.

"Wait you know Smoky Smith?!" Army Man asked Joseph. Joseph smiled thinking about Smoky.

"Yes! Of course I do he's my husband." Joseph said. Army Man didn't think Smoky swung that way but he only knew the geyser for 1 year. Army Man then realized that there was someone behind him and turned around.

"Hey." Thirteen said as Army Man turned around to face her.

Army Man pushed Joseph behind him as Thirteen walked closer.

"C'mon Ar you know why I'm doing this so step outta the way so I can question the old man." Thirteen said while walking closer. Army Man was ready to draw his gun, until Thirteen teleported in front of him grabbed his weapon and teleported back to her original spot.

" Oh nooo. Looks like someone useless without their puny peashooter." Thirteen said before laughing, and throwing the gun behind her. Thirteen continued to laugh until Army Man hrew one of the extra clips at her, she teleported around it.

"Alright, did you really think that would work?" Thirteen asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you I didn't." Army Man said. Thirteen shook her head no.

"Then I guess you'd be wrong." Army Man said while smiling. Thirteen heard the gun she threw behind her being primed.

"Hey." Velma said as she pointed the gun at Thirteen's head.

End of ch.3


	4. Chapter 4: Regroup

Chapter 4: Regroup

_**12:30 A.M. on an empty road, with an injured Thirteen walking down the road**_

_Thirteen was out of breath and had a bullet wound in her arm, she was leaving a blood trail trying to get back to the city. She had taken off her helmet to breathe, She also took off her armor to get a better look at the wound. _

"_That fucking soldier, where did he even get a 9 mm gun anyway." Thirteen thought out loud while ripping off the fabric on her suit to cover the wound. She was planning on meeting up with a friend, who lives on the southern outskirts of Center City, or Southskirts as the locals call it could treat her wound. Just when Thirteen thought she didn't have to deal with anyone else, she heard the peculiar sound of metal banging against the ground._

"_Listen, Josh, I'm not in the wrong place, the police station's east wall was blown up. The east wall's camera was the only one taken out before the explosion, so that means the criminals headed east." Thirteen heard a voice echo. The voice sounded young, probably a 16-year-old boy, the voice was getting closer and closer by the second and every time it got closer there was another metallic BANG._

"_Well just because there are other roads with no traffic cameras doesn't mean I'm going in the wrong direction. Well if you think you can do better, how about you take this helmet off my head and you become Insectoid. Oh_

_Wait you can't because the suit only allows me to wear it." The voice said only a few yards from Thirteen now. Thirteen decided to walk towards the boy and see if he could help her._

"_Hey over here!" Thirteen's voice echoed. The boy heard this and said._

"_Wait…wa… Josh, I said wait. Anyone there!" The boy said._

"_I'm over here!" Thirteen said while walking towards the voice. The metal bang sped up its pace and was getting closer and closer faster than its previous pace. Thirteen also sped up her pace, because she was starting to become light-headed._

_Thirteen stumbled towards the voice._

"_C'mon Thirteen one foot in front of the other." Thirteen mumbled weakly to herself. The metal bang kept getting closer and closer until it suddenly stopped and Thirteen saw a figure dressed as a grasshopper. The boy saw Thirteen and bounced towards her. BOING! Is the sound Thirteen heard from the boy's suit as he bounded towards her?_

"_Excuse me, citizen, are you the one that called for me?!" The boy asked Thirteen in a fake deep masculine voice._

"_Gee, I wonder if the only person on this road is the one that called you?!" Thirteen said mockingly before her legs became weak, and she fell to the ground._

"_What happened to you?" The boy asked Thirteen dropping the masculine voice while helping her up._

"_Kinda long story short, The unkillable soldier and his kids shot me in the shoulder." Thirteen said weakly while trying to stand up but falling once again. _

"_And also don't call me citizen, my name is Thirteen." She said deciding to just stay on the ground this time._

"_The unkillable soldier?!" The boy screamed. "Oh My GOD! I didn't know that's who I was chasing! Now, I think I should've waited for an official statement!" The boy continued. Thirteen rolled her eyes at the boy's distress._

"_Is everybody I'm going to run into be an idiot?" Thirteen asked herself._

"_Listen we don't have time to sit here and talk we need to get to the Southskirts as soon as possible, There's someone there that can fix me up, so I can get to West Hunter Blvd. before He does! So are you going to help me get off this fucking ground, or leave me and let the soldier take another bounty… I mean life away!" Thirteen shouted towards the boy. The boy seemed motivated by Thirteen's words and calmed down._

"_Alright, what's the exact address?" The boy asked. _

"_It's East Shogun Road, Peter Herring Apartments Apt. 1025" Thirteen said weakly._

"_Are you going to be okay?" The boy asked Thirteen._

"_Of course I am." Thirteen said before passing out._

"_Thirteen!" The boy said picking her up before testing her pulse. The boy sighed in relief as he felt the movement of her veins._

"_Activate Junk Bug form." The boy said. His costume began to change from the bright green it was to a more grayish color. The boy looked down at his legs and had a face of realization._

"_Oops, I always forget. Activate Grasshopper legs." He said as his legs transformed back into their bright green form. The boy tapped the side of his helmet._

"_Josh set the GPS to the address I'm sending you now." The boy said. "Don't question me just do it!" The boy continued, before picking up Thirteen and putting her on his back and hopping away._

**7:40 A.M. at Susan's Dinner Catherine and Jim are still fighting while Johnny and Ed try to figure out to help**

Catherine was still on the ground from Jim's kick, while Jim was approaching Catherine with his mandibles still drawn. Meanwhile, back at the table Johnny and Ed were getting up from their seats to go help their sister with her little insect problem until Ed stopped with realization.

"Johnny I left my weapons in the car!" Ed said with panic. Johnny stopped with fear as he processed his brother's statement.

"What how are you just now realizing that!" Johnny yelled at his brother.

"Both of you stop yelling." Dealer said. "I'll take care of our little problem here and you two take Perc outside." Dealer continued, with a confident and sly smirk on his face.

"Wait I want to help!" Percy said as he got up from his seat to face his uncle.

"Listen Perc this is adult business, so I think you should go out with your brothers and wait until Uncle Dealer handles this cockroach, Ok." Dealer said kneeling to almost meet his nephew's height.

"Ok," Percy said sadly. Dealer smiled at his nephew before standing up and facing his two older ones.

"Listen you two go out into the parking lot and wait until I or Catherine come out until you guys can assume that it's safe inside." Dealer said to his nephews.

"Yes, sir," Ed said as he nodded his head like a soldier accepting an order.

"You got it chief," Johnny said while doing finger guns. The three boys went for an exit while Dealer walked into the back.

Catherine was trying to transform into a different metal other than Iron, but every time she was punched in the face by Jim breaking her focus and having to start the whole process all over again. Catherine was pinned against the stove of the kitchen and Jim jumped towards her pushing her further down.

"Get off of me!, You Mosquito!" Catherine yelled as she pushed him back. Jim flew backward from the push and almost into the sink which was 5 feet away from the stove. Catherine took this opportunity to turn into Titanium but was surprised to see a mandible fly past her head. This, on the other hand, didn't break her focus and successfully turned into Titanium.

"Now prepare to be squashed," Catherine said menacingly. Jim shrank a little and then stood tall.

"Activate Bullet Ant Form!" Jim yelled as Catherine ran towards him at full speed. Jim closed his eyes and breathed out hoping his quick thought was right. He opened his eyes as Catherine threw a punch, and he caught it without effort.

Wait what." Catherine said as she tried to pull her fist back.

Jim said with confidence in his voice."In case you didn't know Ants can lift to 5,000x their weight, and since you're probably less than 5,000x my weight there's no way you're beating me in a fistfight!"

Jim twisted Catherine's arm and kicked her in the stomach, sending Catherine flying back towards the dishwashing sinks. He was about to pursue until he heard dramatic slow clapping behind him.

"Wow, kid you found a way to beat Catherine." Dealer said walking up to Jim. Jim prepared to attack Dealer, Jim jumped at him but passed through Dealer and hit the floor.

"What in the fudge sticks," Jim said as he got back up. Dealer laughed at the kid's naivety, While Jim watched what he thought was Dealer fade away and reveal that the actual Dealer was standing behind Jim.

"Boo." Dealer said scaring Jim's soul out of his body.

**Dealer**

Ability: Illusions

Can make enemies hallucinate objects, people, and certain feelings(i.e. Pain, comfortableness, awkwardness)

Strength: 6.5/10

Stamina: 5.1/10

Creativity: 8.7/10

"Wait why does he get a stat card!" Johnny yelled from outside. Dealer towered over Jim as he tried to crawl away.

"Where ya going' the party's just getting started." Dealer laughed out.

**Meanwhile, on West Hunter Blvd., Army Man and Velma were staring down Thirteen while a helpless Joseph watched.**

The silence between everyone was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Velma kept the gun pointed at Thirteen's head, along with her eyes. Thirteen was wondering how Velma snuck up on her, "I let my guard down for one second and this happens." Thirteen thought.

"Hey soldier what's going on, who's this bitch," Velma said.

"Shit." Thirteen whispered to herself. "I can't let her find out my ability, too many people know too much about me."

"Her name's Thirteen, and she's here to collect a bounty on you." Army Man said. Thirteen's mind went a million miles per second trying to find ways that would make her powers inconspicuous.

"Huh, when they said they put a bounty on my head they weren't kidding," Velma whispered to herself. Thirteen was going to give up on the stealthy angle and was about to teleport circles around the two until "She" came over.

"Velma don't leave your aunt like that!" Jane said out of breath from running down the street. Jane slowed down to catch her breath until she noticed the situation going on between her niece, an unknown figure, and Army Man.

"What's going on here Velma," Jane said as she slowly pulled back her coat and brandished her police-issued pistol. Jane had a cast on her left arm, presumably from the explosion that Johnny caused at the police station, this caused her to hold her gun with one hand.

"Hello, there officer can you tell your niece to please lower the gun pointed at my back." Thirteen said with an innocent face.

"You stabbed me twice nobody's going to believe your little facade." Army Man said glaring at Thirteen. " The only reason you're still alive is you kept getting the jump on us. If I knew your ability before you'd be six feet under right now."

Thirteen didn't know why the old man suddenly got more confident, but he also got a little more intimidating.

"Wait she's got an ability like your little accomplices back on the dock!" Jane said.

"What is it?" Velma asked bluntly, neither Army Man nor Thirteen knew who she was talking to, but they knew she wanted an answer. Thirteen knew Army Man was going to answer that question and to act fast.

"Y'know whenever I and Smoky argue we usually talk about our feelings in a calm and orderly manner so how about we solve this problem like that," Joseph said trying to come forward but held back by Army Man.

"Her ability is…" Army Man began before being cut off by Thirteen teleporting in front of him and trying to stab him but was stopped by Army Man catching the blade. "Hey." Army Man said before punching Thirteen to the ground. The blow was hard and fast, Thirteen couldn't believe she was struck hard by the old man. Thirteen got back up and was ready to attack until Velma threw the Desert Eagle at her aunt and pressed the "Emergency only" button on her suit and began to transform into full robotic armor that she wore on the dock.

"What are you doing Velma!" Jane yelled at her niece while trying to catch the gun with one arm.

"Field tests!" Velma yelled continuing to run at the two combatants.

Thirteen stood up and drew her second blade and teleported towards Army Man who dodged her and slid down the steps and off the porch. He stopped on the sidewalk at least ten feet from Jane, while Velma leaped over him and constructed two neon pink blades in her hand and swung at Thirteen who blocked the amateur swordsman. Army Man ran towards Jane and grabbed his Desert Eagle from the officer.

"Nine bullets, Heh, Full Mag. I can do a little work with this." Army Man said. "Should've packed the 50 Cal."

Thirteen teleported around Velma and sliced her back. The two different metals scraped against each other and made sparks. Velma merged the two swords into a hammer and slammed down on the position Thirteen was in before she teleported out of the way, the hammer broke the wooden boards that the porch was made out of. Thirteen teleported off the porch and prepared for another advance by the two by getting in a more defensive stance towards Velma.

"Hey if you youngins gonna fight then could you please get off my yard," Joseph said as he exited his house onto the battlefield. Joseph walked with his cane with a slight stumble in his step. Thirteen looked at the old man with a slightly annoyed face, "Oh Ollara! could this old man be any more annoying" Thirteen thought to herself.

"Joseph go back into the house we got this," Velma said to the old man.

"Now we both know that was a lie," Joseph said. "Listen if you need to fight then go over to the Lebowski's' they have no standards, so they'll be fine."

"Listen, old man, nobody wants you here." Thirteen said.

"Well I live here and don't you go getting a disrespectful attitude with me" Joseph yelled at the disrespectful woman.

"Oh, and what are you going to do, hit me with your cane and chase me off." Thirteen said cockily. Joseph raised his cane and a red aura surrounded him, the aura then descends into the cane and the cane shoots out a magical ball of energy. The ball approached Thirteen at speeds she had never seen before, but before it could reach her she teleported out of its path and it hit the labowskis' grill standing outside.

"Woah what the hell!" Thirteen said.

**Joseph Matthews**

Ability: Energy blasts

Can shoot a small blast of energy in any direction

Strength: 4.5/10

Stamina: 2.6/10

Creativity: 8.9/10

"Hmm, pretty mediocre stats, but they could work." Army Man said. Velma looked over at her aunt.

"Get Joseph and clear the area of any civilians!" Velma yelled, to which Jane agreed and grabbed Joseph and ran to clear the area.

**At Susan's Dinner**

Catherine got off the ground, from the punch that Jim put her there, and saw Dealer towering over Jim. Catherine ran over and kicked Jim in the back knocking the sixteen-year-old over.

"OWWW!" The sixteen-year-old screamed.

"That's what you get for punching me," Catherine said. Jim flipped back over to face his two combatants.

You know is this really a fair fight both of you teaming up on me." Jim said trying to manipulate the situation.

"Fair my ass you don't deserve one, and if we were to give you one, we'd easily kick your ass," Catherine added. Jim was starting to get annoyed by Catherine and opened his mouth to say something until Dealer made him hallucinate tape over his mouth and handcuffs around his arm and legs. Dealer picked up Jim and carried him to the front, walking past a terrified cashier and waitress cowering behind the counter. Catherine noticed a tray on the counter with the food they ordered and picked it up. Dealer put thirty dollars on the counter.

"Keep the change." Dealer laughed as he walked out the door and saw his three nephews sitting on the parking lot curb waiting until he came out.

"Look!" Percy said when he saw his uncle, Percy ran over to Dealer and Catherine. Dealer walked over to a patch of grass and put Jim down there.

"Ok now talk what's your plan," Catherine asked the teen.

"Why should I tell you?" Jim asked Catherine.

"Oh don't worry you'll know when you're missing your front teeth," Catherine said bawling her fist. Jim tried to crawl away but Dealer made him hallucinate a wall behind him. Percy stepped in between Jim and Catherine.

"Percy moves out of the way, this is adult busine…" Catherine said before being interrupted by Percy.

"Guys stop this, the more you are mean to him the more he's not going to answer your questions," Percy said to Catherine while going to help Jim.

Percy placed his left hand on Jim's shoulder and suddenly all the hallucinations holding Jim back disappeared, and he was free.

"Woah!" Jim exclaimed as he looked at Percy. Catherine and everybody else looked at each other with surprised faces, Johnny looked at Catherine with a "Did you know he could do that" face. Percy smiled at Jim as he looked around to not find any of the objects that surrounded him previously weren't there anymore.

"You're welcome," Percy said before being grabbed by Catherine and brought back to the rest of the group.

"Thank you," Jim said in return as a show of good faith. Jim stood up and looked at the group up and down.

"Ok, so you want to know the plan?" Jim asked to which Percy shook his head "yes". " The plan was originally to stop by here and grab some breakfast but then you guys showed up and then things changed. So I and Thirteen agreed to split up and take you guys on in different groups since Thirteen thought she could take the unkillable soldier by herself."

"So you two split up to distract us so Thirteen could take on our dad and get what was at the address?" Catherine asked.

"Yep," Jim said cockily, To which everyone laughed. "What?!"

"Oh, we're sorry its just that no one that we know of has beaten Army Man without him knowing their ability or skills. The only reason Thirteen won those previous fights is that dad was caught by surprise." Johnny said still laughing.

"You haven't seen dad when he actually wants you dead," Catherine added.

**Meanwhile, at Joseph's house**

Thirteen was teleporting all around the battlefield, only taking short breaks to catch her breath. Army Man was chasing her down, but she teleported away every time he got close to her. Thirteen took her third break from teleporting, Army Man saw this and began to get tired of chasing her.

He pulled up his eye patch revealing a black eye with a yellow iris, the eye began to glow an eerie shade of yellow as Thirteen felt her strength leave her. Thirteen tried to teleport but found that she couldn't for some reason.

"You know I really don't like using my ability it really bogs down my healing factor." Army Man said tucking his eye patch into his pocket.

**Army Man**

Abilities: Nullification and Healing factor

Can nullify any ability with his damaged eye(when in use also affects user)

Strength: 9.2/10

Stamina: 8.3/10

Creativity: 4.3/10

"Wooooooah! How'd he get stats like that?!" Velma yelled. Army Man ran over to a de-powered Thirteen with his gun drawn, Thirteen knew she had no choice but to fight fair and square with everyone. Thirteen and Army Man ran towards each other both trying to guess the other's move before Thirteen leaps into the air dodging a bullet that Army Man shot at her and falling down on Army Man's shoulder and using her lower body strength to flip him over by the neck. Army Man got up just in time to dodge a swing by Thirteen. Velma transforms her armored feet into rocket boosters and flew over to the action. She pushed Thirteen before she swung again, boosting Thirteen into the ground breaking her masks. Velma transformed her feet back to normal and transformed her hands to mini-hammers. Velma swung trying to hit Thirteen in the head but Thirteen maneuvered her legs around Velma's neck and flipped her upside down. Army Man ran over to the two females and checked his magazine.

5 bullets left. Army Man grunted a little at the fact.

I really should've packed the 50 Cal.!" Army Man exclaimed. When Army Man arrived at the hole in the ground, he saw Velma and Thirteen having a one-on-one with Velma having pieces of her armor being ripped and cut off, and Thirteen having her mask being pummeled into the ground. Army Man slid into the fight and punched Thirteen in the gut while Velma punched her in the face. Thirteen heard a ringing in her ear and lost her balance, but shook it off and ran at the two. She positioned herself between the two and made long, broad swings with her blades trying to hit Army Man, while kicking, a basically unarmored Velma, out of the way. Army Man dodged her blades with grace and elegance like he had to dodge experienced swordsmen like Thirteen before. Thirteen's movements began to become sloppy and unfocused, desperately trying to get a hit in on the old man. Army Man smirked at the young woman's attempt but was kind of disappointed in her and himself, with her he was disappointed because she had this "not caring attitude" but got clumsy and scared in a fight, and in him, he was disappointed he didn't finish this sooner. Army Man kicked Thirteen to the ground and aimed his gun at center mass, just when he was about to fire Thirteen kicked his left leg and knocked him over. She jumped up and stabbed him in the heart.

**Army Man: Deceased**

"Hahahahahahahahaha" Thirteen laughed crazily.

"I guess the third time's a charm, Huh?" Thirteen said to the presumed corpse of Army Man. Thirteen drew her sword from the man's heart and was immediately knocked forward by a punch from Velma. Thirteen was punched into Joseph's porch. Velma kneeled down next to Army Man and put her head next to his mouth to see if his healing factor had worked. Thirteen stood up and began to approach Velma from behind until Velma stood up from Army Man's corpse and faced Thirteen.

"You're a monster you know that right?" Velma asked Thirteen.

"I was raised by one, so I guess it's hereditary." Thirteen answered. Velma sat there looking directly into Thirteen's eyes and said….

"I was born into one," Velma said bluntly before rocketing into Thirteen, launching them both into the porch. Velma tried to choke Thirteen, but Thirteen teleported behind Velma and pointed her swords at the back of Velma's neck. Everything was silent, like before it was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Did you forget that old man can't nullify my ability from the dead?!" Thirteen laughed maniacally. Velma smirked from that sentence.

"How about you ask the old man yourself," Velma said.

"Wait, What?!" Thirteen exclaimed as she turned around to find that Army Man's corpse wasn't on the ground, there wasn't any corpse at all there was only a man pointing a Desert Eagle at her.

"Hey." Army Man said. Thirteen tried to teleport away but her powers were nullified, and she couldn't move.

**Army Man: Back from the dead**

Army Man pulled the trigger hitting Thirteen's leg. 4 shots left. Thirteen screamed out in pain and fell to the ground. Army Man shot her in the other leg to make sure she couldn't go anywhere. 3 shots left. Army Man walked over to the in pain Thirteen and was about to shoot until he was stopped by Velma.

"Don't we could use her as an asset," Velma stated firmly. Army Man looked at Velma confused.

"What do you mean she tried to kill you and me ?!" Army Man exclaimed.

"I mean you tried to kill me yesterday," Velma said.

"That's because I thought, and somewhat still do believe, you were one of my family's many enemies." Army Man said as a phone went off in one of Thirteen's pockets. Army Man bent down and dug into the pocket and pulled out a phone, to Thirteen's dismay. When Army Man looked at the phone there was a symbol of an eye in a diamond and the ringtone was of static. Army Man looked at the phone for a solid second until Velma grabbed it from him and answered. She was greeted by an unfamiliar face.

The face was of a woman who had crazy long orange hair put into a bun, it looked like she hadn't combed or brushed it in days. She wore a lab coat with a neon blue bodysuit underneath.

"Hey, Thirteen buddies what's going on? Because Sentinel's having a panic attack, she heard that some gunshots were fired on West Hunter Blvd. Like wow, you see her right now." The woman said before looking down and seeing Velma and Army Man. "Oh! This unexpected." The woman said

"Who are you and what connection do you have to Thirteen?!" Velma demanded.

"Woah there you can't just be demanding things like your Gendy." The woman said. " I haven't even introduced myself, my name is Anita Williams but you can call me…"

"Magneta." Army Man said bluntly.

"Oh come on Arty you can't just out me like that."

"Listen to me one day you're going to pay for what you did to my son!"

"Your favorite or the lizard?" Army Man threw the phone to the ground and shot it. 2 shots left. He shot it again. 1 shot left. He shot his final bullet where Magneta's head would be if the phone was still functioning after the first two shots.

"What are you doing?!" Velma yelled. " We could've traced the signal!"

"It wouldn't work Smoky's tried before and his tracing gear was overwhelmed and it short-circuited."

"Well, I'm different from some old guy that does mechanical work in his garage!"

Army Man was about to say something else until their conversation was interrupted by a yelling Catherine.

"Dad!" Catherine yelled while running down the street with her brothers, Dealer, and Jim in his wheelchair, with the duffle bag in his lap, behind her.

"Dad! You're okay. Where's Thirteen?" Catherine asked out of breath.

"She's over her…" Army Man was saying before he realized Thirteen was crawling away. Velma walked over to the woman and stood next to her.

"Are you going to crawl and probably get ran over by a car that can't see you or stay with us, so we can tend to your wounds?" Velma asked her to which she sighed and asked to be picked up to which Army Man agreed to. Percy saw Thirteen being picked up by Army Man and ran over to his "friend".

"Dad put her down, please I discovered what my power is," Percy said with confidence. Percy surprised his father with these words, and he put Thirteen down.

"Hey, kid." Thirteen said.

"Hey, Thirteen," Percy said in return while putting his hand on her shoulder. A green aura surrounded Percy and Thirteen, Thirteen's wounds began to heal and disappear. She felt the feeling in her legs come back to her.

**Percy Jules**

Abilities: Healing, Pre-cognition, Retro-cognition

Can heal organic life

Can see into the future

Can see into the past

Strength: 3.6/10

Stamina: 4.9/10

Creativity: 9.99/10

When the aura disappeared Thirteen stood but lost her balance and fell but was caught by Army Man.

"Thanks." Thirteen said stubbornly.

"Your welcome," Percy said. Dealer heard police sirens go off in the distance.

"UMM, guys we have got to go the fuzz is on their way!" Dealer exclaimed.

Thirteen walked into the center of the groups and spoke up.

"Alright everyone I can get us out of here, but we're going to need to hold hands." Thirteen said while extending a hand to Army Man, Army Man took her hand and extended one to Velma who took his hand, and she did the same for Catherine who did the same for Johnny who did the same for Ed until it was Percy who extended his hand for Thirteen who, with a moment of hesitation, took his hand.

"All right beam us up Scotty," Johnny said before they all teleported away.

Thirteen teleported them all to the sequoia forest, but all the trees within their vicinity were smashed into pieces. Ed ran over to a destroyed tree.

"Barky. What happened here?!" Ed said on the verge of tears.

Dealer looked ahead.

"That's not the only thing you should be worried about." Dealer said shocked. Everyone looked ahead and saw the flames of the wooden and all the trees that tried to protect it. Army Man ran towards the burning mansion in search of his son and found Simon lying on the ground unconscious next to an unconscious Smoky. Army Man, Percy, Catherine, Ed, and Johnny crowded around their unconscious relative. Simon began to wake up from all the noise that was bothering his slumber. When he saw his father he tried to stand up but his legs were completely and utterly destroyed. He was caught by Army Man.

"I'm sorry." Is the last thing Simon said before passing out again.

End ch. 4


	5. Chapter 5: Family Reunion

Chapter 5: Family Reunion

It was cold and dark with the only source of light being the raging flame ,that continues to engulf the mansion, behind Army Man and his family. Army Man held Simon's unconscious body close to his chest.

"What happened here?" Catherine asked. "We were only gone for like eight hours!"

Velma looked at the family and sighed a little remembering a time when she had people like that.

"Alright we should worry about this forest fire going on here!" Velma exclaimed as she walked over to the family.

"Don't worry I got this everything's gonna be right as rain," Johnny said. Suddenly, massive dark clouds hovered above the fire and rain began to pour down on the entire group. Thirteen looked at Johnny with an annoyed look.

"Nice going kid." Thirteen said sarcastically as Catherine looked at her with furious eyes." What, Goldilocks? Are you mad that your log cabin burned to the ground?"

Catherine was about to get up and punch Thirteen in the face until Velma put her hand on Catherine's shoulder.

"I'll handle this you just go tend to the wounded." Velma said.

Catherine didn't want to listen but decided that it was the best thing to do instead of starting a fight and sat back down. Velma walked over to Thirteen with a "pissed off" walk.

"What's your problem?!" Velma asked.

"I have no idea what you mean." Thirteen said with a smirk on her face. Velma was even more pissed off at her from that comment but kept her cool.

"Do you have to be a dick right now?!" Velma said frustrated. Thirteen chuckled a little bit before answering the rhetorical question.

"Did you have the back of your legs almost ripped off because some war crazy bastard shot you?!" Thirteen exclaimed.

"But you deserved it by what I saw."

"You weren't even there for half of it!"

"But I was there for the end of it and ,quite frankly, you're a piece of shit!" Velma said furiously.

Thirteen was fed up with everyone there and began to walk away from everyone, with Velma walking after her.

"Look someone had to tell you the truth, you don't have to get mad about it!"

"Yeah but did it have to come from the spoiled brat who had everything handed to her!"

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!" Velma yelled with a passion so fierce it seemed to have cleared the rain. Thirteen looked at the billionaire with a coy yet angry smirk.

"Oh what have you been through." Thirteen said calmly. "Have you been rejected by your own father, have you had the only two people in your life ripped away from you because some spoiled little girl invented some advanced GPS that people took as excuse to not do their fucking jobs? "

Velma froze at that statement, she knew exactly what Thirteen was talking about. Fourteen years ago, Velma invented an autopilot that was so advanced that the government decided to use them in airlines. The first plane that it was used on crashed, killing an estimated 500 people and injuring 1,000 people.

"I tested that autopilot over 100 times something else happened on that flight!" Velma yelled. Thirteen was furious at Velma and was about five seconds from cutting her down right there until she heard humming.

"What's that?"

"What's wha…." Velma droned until she heard it.

The humming was eerie and honestly creepy it crawled up Velma's leg and up to her back.

" Please hurry leave me I can't breathe please don't say you love me ." The voice sung. Thirteen drew her swords and looked into the distance but saw nothing. Velma looked into the dark woods with a confused face.

"Huh, we should go check that out."

"We?!" Thirteen exclaimed. "There is no we in this, the only reason I helped you is because the kid healed me!"

Velma created an umbrella with her suit and pulled out a notepad and wrote down a series of numbers and handed the notepad to Thirteen. Thirteen reluctantly looked at the notepad and her almost bulged right out of their sockets.

"Woah! You're willing to pay me this much to check out a noise?" Thirteen inquired.

"Yes, and I'll pay you this much going forward if you keep working with me." Velma said. Thirteen's enthusiasm dimmed from the statement.

"Did you not hear me say I hate you with every fiber of my being?"

"Look, you have to trust me my navi system had nothing to do with the crash." Velma said with pleading eyes. Thirteen wanted to say no but the amount of money Velma was willing to pay was too much to give up.

"Ugh, fine I'll work with you." Thirteen said, making Velma's face glow. "Under one condition you give me one thousand more each job I do."

"What?!"

"I mean you'd have your own pocket bounty hunter, is that really something you want to pass up?" Thirteen said with a sly yet evil grin. Velma sighed and stuck her hand out towards Thirteen.

"Fine I'll do it but in order for us to get complete cooperation you can't tell anyone about the jobs I send you on." Velma said with her hand still towards Thirteen.

"Okay it's a deal." Thirteen said plainly while shaking Velma's hand.

**Meanwhile, Jim and Dealer are looking through the remains of the mansion**

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon its gotta be here!" Dealer exclaimed. Dealer continued to rummage until he screamed with delight and pulled out a massive safe.

"Man I've been looking for you for a long time!" Dealer giggled devilishly as he looked at the safe with pondering eyes. "What combination would Julia put on this thing?" Dealer thought to himself. "It can't be that difficult I mean it's Julia were talking about. The Woman who tamed the unkillable soldier, and she somehow raised that little monster who they chose to call Catherine." Dealer continued to think.

He was examining the safe when Jim snuck up on him.

"Whatcha doing?" Jim asked. Dealer nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard that question.

"Where did you come from?!" Dealer asked the teen.

"I'm trying to see if there are any clues to the origin of the fire so far it wasn't an accident with any of the lanterns or other light sources." Jim said. " What are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business… wait it is your business!" Dealer giggled. " You see the kids' mother left behind this safe and I'm trying to break it open while they are not looking so could you please use your suit to smash this thing open?"

Jim was kind of surprised by the man's honesty but knew it was wrong to break into a safe that he didn't own. Jim was about to protest until he and Dealer heard Ed yell "He's awake!" Jim and Dealer left the safe and ran towards Army Man and his family surrounding Simon.

"Mornin', Scales." Dealer said to his nephew, Ed and Catherine gave Dealer the death glare.

"What happened Simon?" Army Man asked.

"Well where do I start?" Simon asked himself. "Well, Smoky arrived with his toolbox and fixed up my legs and they were functional again… wait, where's Smoky?" Simon asked his family.

"Johnny's taking care of him." Army Man said, Simon continued to retell what happened.

Jim was rolling through the charred remains of the mansion while Dealer was looking through Army Man's room throwing things around. He looked like a rat rummaging through garbage.

"I went back to being lookout and Smoky watched TV. Everything was fine until I heard humming and then suddenly…"

**The mansion before its destruction**The last one Simon didn't recognize, he was dressed in normal clothes Simon saw people on the street wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. The only thing that was remotely out of the ordinary was the fact this person was bald.

"Listen Mageta, we didn't come here to find out how we can make plants talk." Sentinel said with an annoyed look on her face. Magneta seemed unphased by Sentinel's comment and continued to look around at the clearing of stumps. Simon realized that he was outnumbered and began to slowly back away but as he does this he steps on a dead branch. **CRACK! **

Mirror Master and the rest hear this and before Simon gets a chance to turn around and run, he looks up and sees Mirror Master teleport in front of him. Mirror Master wore a mirror as a mask, and Simon saw his reflection in the mirror staring back at him.

"GOD DAMNIT!" Simon yells as he tries to kick Mirror Master when his leg makes contact Mirror Master disappears. Simon looks down at his legs and sees Mirror Master's reflection in his robotic right leg staring up at him.

**Mirror Master**

Ability: Reflection Jump

Can jump into any reflective surface and back out again

Strength: 8.92/10

Stamina: 9.54/10

Creativity: 9.56/10

"Woah, woah! Stop the chapter! Where did he get stats like that!" Jim asked interrupting the story. Everybody looked at Jim with a "shut the fuck up" face.

"Anyway back to what happened." Simon said continuing with the day's previous events.

Simon looked out for where the humming coming from, he looked all throughout the dense forest. He was about to stop looking until he heard one of the sequoias fall.

"Are they training without Ed?" Simon thought out loud as he went to investigate he heard another fall and another and another until the sound was constant. At this point, Simon was starting to worry. Simon activated roller rink mode and raced towards the noise. When he got there he saw 6 individuals standing in a clearing full of stumps and fallen down trees. They were standing In front of Barky's stumpless trunk.

"Uhh, did you really have to destroy them Genndy? I could've captured one and studied how PE-235 creates his wooden soldiers!" A woman exclaimed. The one named Genndy grunted at the other's statement.

Genndy was a tall man, probably 7'2 Simon estimated, not only that but he had a big build to him. He wore a cloak hiding his face and clothing from everyone, Simon didn't recognize him. The woman who spoke to him was so much smaller than him; She was probably 5'3 and was skinnier. She was cuban from Simon's guess and wore a lab coat over a black suit that had blue lines that went all over it. Her hair was orange, long, and messy. Simon recognized her as Magneta. Another one of the figures was in a silver hoodie with blue jeans and no shoes or socks on. They had a small backpack on and had a camera around their neck. They were average for their height, 5'5, Simon recognized her as Sentinel.

Another one was in complete, rubbery, air-tight black and yellow suit on. They were tall but not as tall as Genndy, probably 6'3, and had a lever-action shotgun strung on his back, who Simon recognized as Exterminator. One of the figures was wearing a zip-up jacket, white jeans, and white tennis shoes. From where Simon was standing it looked like the sun was reflecting off of their face. Simon recognized him as Mirror Master.

Mirror Master jumps out of Simon's leg, kicks him in the stomach, and lands like a hyena stalking its prey. Simon doubles over and grabs his stomach the kick hurt like hell and absolutely knocked the wind out of him.

"I can't beat them in a six-on-one fight." Simon thought out loud. Mirror Master was about to pounce until Magneta snapped her fingers and he jumped into her eyes and back out.

"Well PE-234, how have you've been?" Magneta asked, Simon was about to answer until Magneta interrupted him. "Shh! I don't care, you see our little errand girl, Thirteen, was here for at least a half an hour. So could you please tell me what she was doing here."

Simon was surprised to hear Thirteen's name come from Magneta's mouth, but he knew he couldn't let them find the mansion.

"Why should I tell you anything?" Simon said with a smug face. Magneta chuckled a little bit at the question.

"Because you can't go anywhere." Magneta said. Simon thought she meant he couldn't out run all of them and laughed at the prospect. But soon realized that he couldn't move his legs. He looked down and saw nothing obstructing his legs movements, then he had another realization.

"Magneta you bitch!" He yelled.

"What?" Magneta said with a sly smirk.

**Magneta**

Ability: The name says it all do i really need to explain what "Magnet"a's ability is

Strength: 7.45/10

Stamina: 8.99/10

Creativity: 9.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999/10

"Hey! How come I don't get to have my terribly revealed ability explained?!" Magneta exclaimed. Sentinel looked at Magneta with a concerned face, because she had 0 idea what she was talking about. Genndy walked over to Simon with loud, thundering steps that terrified Simon but he won't tell anyone that.

"We don't have time for this frog so tell us where the kid is," Genndy commanded. Simon tensed up at the statement, "Kid? They can't mean Percy, right?" Simon thought to himself. Genndy was on his last stretch of patience from dealing with Magneta so he decided to show Simon some compassion and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry for my little outburst." He began. "It's just after Magneta came to me saying that we could finally wipe Julia's legacy from the face of this Earth I got a little excited."

Simon was a little unnerved by the happiness that Genndy exhibited from that statement.

"What do you mean by that?" Simon asked.

"What do you think we mean by that dumbass? We're going to kill that little brat you call Percy," The bald person said. Now that Simon got a better look at him, he noticed that the person wasn't that much older than him, probably 21.

"Johnathan Jane Doe! Be quiet!" Genndy sternly yelled. John immediately did as he commanded, Simon noticed that John seemed terrified by Genndy.

"Now, please tell us where, what's his name? Oh right! Percy!"

"Come on Genndy! You know he won't tell us we might as well just trace his steps and go back to where he came from." Sentinel said. Genndy stood up and looked Simon right in his eyes. Simon looked into Genndy's eyes and saw nothing but his reflection staring back, not a man but something more like a monster. Genndy walked past Simon and said, "Exterminator, you know what to do."

Exterminator nodded at Genndy's statement and pulled the lever-action from his back and cocked it. Simon trembled at the sound of the shotgun that would be the weapon that put an end to his life. Exterminator paced closer to Simon ready to fire, unil everyone heard a voice come through the clearing.

"Simon boy, where did ya' go?!" The voice called. Simon knew the voice was Smoky and had to distract them so the old man wouldn't get hurt.

"Hey! You wanted me dead, didn't you? How 'bout you do it already!" Simon yelled defensively. Genndy held up his hand and Exterminator strapped the shotgun back to his back.

"Whoever that is the frog seems to want to protect. Fan out and find them!" Genndy commanded. Everyone almost instantly went to search for the old man, except for Sentinel. She sat down and put her camera on the ground. Simon watched in awe as the camera grew spider-like mechanical legs and stood up. Sentinel took out a tablet and pressed some buttons and the camera began to crawl away in a different direction than the rest.

**Sentinel**

Ability: Camera drone

Can place a remote-controlled drone that she can spy on anyone with

Strength: 8.78/10

Stamina: 9.86/10

Creativity: 9.98/10

"Okay so basically you're dealing with people who are almost maxed out?" Jim asked, interrupting the story again. Everyone looked at Jim with their last bit of patience. Simon continued knowing the story was almost over.

Simon was trying to move but Magneta's magnetic field was still binding him to the same place.

"Magneta don't run too far, we want to keep our little reptile here in check." Sentinel reminded Magneta through comms.

"Don't worry Seneque I won't forget. I remember the song I came up with to help me remember." Magneta said clearing her throat. Sentinel face palmed at the sound.

" Magneta remember your range is 50 feet. So you have to think about how you deal with enemies. Don't walk far away or that will be the of your days " Magneta sang as she went out of range letting Simon out of the magnetic field. Simon realized he was free and immediately threw a laser disc at Sentinel's tablet.

"What the hell?" Sentinel said before Simon kicked her in the face knocking her out.

"Okay, now that I'm free I gotta get back to the mansion and try to contact someone." Simon thought while activating roller rink mode and started to skate back to the mansion. "I can't contact dad or any of the guys. I have to contact uncle Dealer...but he won't be able to get here fast enough. I guess I have to defend the mansion with Smoky's help."

Simon stopped in his tracks as he remembered that Smoky was stuck back there with Genndy and the rest of the P-H-Antagonists. He smacked himself in the face for leaving his uncle, more like grandpa, back with those monsters.

"What am I gonna do?" Simon thought out loud.

"Die." Simon froze in his tracks when he heard someone behind him. Simon slowly turned around and saw no one.

"Behind you." Simon summoned a laser disc and sliced through the air while doing a 180, but to his confusion he hit and saw nothing. Simon was visibly confused at this point and then realized that his hat was gone.

"What the heck?"

"Looking' for this?" A voice asked Simon as he turned around to face the figure. Simon saw John Doe wearing his hat while leaning up against a tree.

"You know I could get used to this style." John Doe said.

**Johnathan Jane Doe**

Ability: Transparency manipulation

Can control the transparency of himself and any objects he's in contact with

Strength: 6.87/10

Stamina: 9.97/10

Creativity: 8.99/10

"How did you…?"

"Listen sweetheart read the stat cards and you'll understand."

John Doe walked towards Simon and placed his hat back onto his head.

"So little brother, How about I give you a five second headstart to let you "TRY" and go do whatever hopeless thing you were going to do." John Doe said with a playful tone. Simon was confused at John's sentence.

"Brother? What do you mean by that?"

"One." Simon froze at the sudden pressure and then unfroze when he thought about the fact that he could get to the mansion.  
"Two." Simon turned around and started to floor it. He wasn't going to give up.

"Three." Simon was halfway to the mansion he could see the rooftop.

"Four." Simon was in the front yard of the mansion and was heading towards the front door.

"Time's up" Simon was about to open the door until Mirror Master jumped out of his left leg and kicked him in the face.

Simon fell to the ground with a grunt. His face ached where Mirror Master's foot struck him. Simon stood up and summoned laser discs between his knuckles. Mirror Master ran towards Simon with the speed of a hyena. Simon swung at him, but Mirror Master jumped into his legs and out the other side. Simon turned around and swung again but was met with a powerful punch in the face. Simon fell to the ground. His head was spinning and ringing.

"Wow! I probably should've given you ten seconds." Simon heard John Doe say. Simon tried to get up but his arms couldn't support his weight and he fell back down. John Doe walked over and took Simon's hat again. He placed it on his head on traced along the rim with his index finger. Mirror master reached into his mirror mask and pulled out a blade that, from Simon's memory, with Egptyian craftsmanship. It had a decently sized handle with a spiked blade.

"Woah! Hold it Min, you can't kill him. Dad's orders." John's sentence seemed to annoy Mirror Master. Mirror Master put the knife back into his mask. Simon began to recover from Mirror Master's blow and tried to stand up but his head was pushed back down by John Doe. In the forest Simon heard footsteps approaching.  
"Mirror Master report!" Genndy commanded. John Doe tensed up when he heard his father's voice. Mirror Master walked over and pressed his mask. The reflection changed from Genndy's to the events that transpired previously. Genndy watched intently before he raised his hand and Mirror Master stopped his replay.

"You fared quite better than I thought you would, frog." Simon grunted at the nickname given to him. "But you still lost to Min so you deserve some kind of punishment."

Genndy walked up to the grounded Simon and stopped at his legs. Genndy picked up Simon by his legs and snapped them in half like twigs. Metal poked Simon in the back and he screamed out in pain. Genndy dropped him on the ground and pulled down his hood. What he revealed was a white man with green eyes and blonde hair. He revealed his left arm which had a futuristic communications band on it.

"Anita, get Exterminator and Sentinel out of here."

"You got it Genndy!" Anita said over comms. Genndy put his left arm back into his cloak and reveals his right arm, but it's not an arm, it's a prosthetic laser canon. He pointed his cannon arm at the mansion and fired. His blast destroyed an entire chunk of the mansion and set it on fire.

"John, knock the frog out!"

"Yes sir." John said before hearing a voice come from the forest.

"What the hell happened here!" Smoky yelled. Genndy looked at the old man in surprise.

"Oh my god! Did the lebowskis come and visit!" Smoky exclaimed. Genndy walked over to the old man.

"Are you the one who burned down my friend's mansion. If so, I want you to know that I beat a talking book when I was younger I am not afraid to punch you!" Smoky exclaimed pointing his finger at Genndy. Genndy slapped the side of Smoky's head knocking him out.

"Smoky!" Simon said before being kicked in the back of the neck by John knocking him out.  
"Lights out." John said before placing Simon's hat on his head.

"That's what happened from what I can remember." Simon concluded. Everyone sat there in a moment of silence.

"So who were those guys?!" Jim asked interrupting the moment of heavy silence.  
"The four leaders of the PHA or if we're speaking formally the Power Hunting Association." Army Man said.

"They're the ones who created all of us except for Percy and you, of course." Catherine continued.  
"They're the ones who sent Thirteen to kill Velma." Ed also continued.

"They're the ones who killed mom." Simon said with tear-filled eyes. Army Man knelt down next to his son and patted him on the back, Catherine looked away from her crying brother, Ed wiped tears off his face, Percy sat on the ground with a guilty face. Jim and Dealer felt out of place, by not really knowing Julia.

"Simon if this makes you feel any better I can heal you." Percy said shyly.

"Perc I don't think a kiss is gonna fix me." Simon said as Percy kissed his arm and a green aura spread from Simon's arm to his waist. Suddenly all of Simon's wounds were healed and practically disappeared.

"Huh what did you guys do for those eight hours you were gone?" Simon inquired.

"Not that much." Johnny said as he walked over with a now awake Smoky.

"How ya' doin' Simon?" Johnny asked his brother.

"I'm doing great if you don't count the fact my legs are broken, Einstein!"

"I mean, I am German after all." Johnny said before being pushed out of the way by Smoky.

"Now boy one day I ain't gonna be here to fix your legs." Smoky said seeing Simon's destroyed legs.

"Oh don't worry you won't have to fix his legs after I'm done with you all." A familiar voice ,to Simon, said.

Everyone looked around for the mysterious voice but saw nothing but the night's darkness surrounding them. Behind Percy a figure began to emerge.

"Boo!" John Doe said as he grabbed Percy turning both of them invisible.

"Percy!" Catherine yelled as she looked around for the six-year-old.

Thirteen and Velma had been looking for the mysterious humming for 30 minutes now and Thirteen was starting to get tired. They have been wandering around the dark forest in search of what was probably a random hiker.

"Listen are you sure you don't want to head back?" Thirteen asked Velma. Velma had her suit legs transform into her helmet and was using a motion sensor.

"Yes I'm sure. There's something in these woods I know, I'm never wrong." Velma said with certainty. Thirteen's face visibly scrunched in disgust.

"You say that as if you didn't put a malfunctioning GPS on a plane full of innocent people."

"You and I both know I didn't do that!"

"Are you sure, because my family isn't rising from their graves!"

Velma was about to shoot back until someone budded into their conversation.

"Both of you please shut up." someone said.

"Who's there?" Velma inquired.

"Up here dumbasses." the voice spoke. Velma and Thirteen looked up and see Magneta in a tree.

"Hey!" Magneta exclaimed.


	6. Chapter 6: When She loved Me

Chapter 6: When She Loved Me

My Dearest, Min

How was your day? My day was the same, except mommy hit me again. She's been doing it a lot lately after I failed her test I think she hates. But I'll believe what you said that every mother loves their children in their own way. Maybe mommy hitting me was a way of her showing she loves me very much, considering how much it hurt.

Other than that she's been spending more time with Ms. Magneta and Mr. Syntho they're nice to , when Mr. Syntho saw my black eye he got into an argument with mommy. Then, dad talked to him and he seemed to not care about me anymore. He doesn't do his tricks anymore either he barely talks to me.

Ms. Magneta is the same as always but now she always talks to me about my outbursts. she asks me all kinds of questions about what triggers them and what I feel during them.

I never know how to answer the questions she asks me. You know what happened during my first outburst but she never talks to you about them for some reason. You never talk to me about them, I wish you did.

But anyway, how's the training going? Dad tells me you're doing so well, he says you're the greatest one out there. Speaking of dad, he spends more time with me now. He takes to watch the adults talk about the soldier and how he destroyed Mrs. Harmony's base.

Mr. Exterminator is the same he never talks but when he does his mask always muffles his words. It's funny but I can't laugh or he gets mad.

Min I know I can't make this letter that long so I'll just leave it here please don't make me wait a month until you respond.

Your best friend (hopefully), John Doe

Thirteen drew her blades and got in an offensive stance against Magneta. Velma transformed her helmet into a giant hammer. Magneta scoffed at their responses to her entrance.  
"Hello! What did you think of my cool villain entrance?!" Magneta said with a sarcastic undertone just like Thirteen.  
"Hated it." Thirteen said. Magneta did a childish frown at Thirteen's response.  
"Thirteen I see you forgot who's paying you."  
"Nope! The brat here is paying me more than your entire budget!"

"That isn't that much of a statement ya' know."  
Velma stepped in between the two and tried to talk to Magneta.  
"Anita Williams my name is Velma Johannson and I want to know.," Velma said before being interrupted.

"Woah! Woah! Who do you think you are to refer to me as Anita?"  
"Uhh.."  
"Exactly so think before you speak. Can the smart one take over please." Magneta said motioning to Thirteen. Velma was about to shoot a response but was silenced by Thirteen.

"Listen to me these guys are no joke, well at least for you, but you shouldn't get me on their bad side." Thirteen whispered to Velma.

"Do you have something you would like to share with the class?" A voice that came from the woods said. Velma and Thirteen turned around to face Genndy and the rest of the PHA's site leaders emerge from the dense forest. Magneta jumped down from the tree she was on and landed next to Genndy.

"Velma Johannson, you have quite a reputation with certain individuals," Genndy said raising his prosthetic cannon. Thirteen looked behind Velma and saw Exterminator with his shotgun drawn. Velma heard something beneath her and looked down to see Sentinel's camera drone.  
"Thirteen it seems we have found ourselves inside of a trap," Velma said nervously.  
"Wow! I thought you were a genius, not Captain Obvious!" Thirteen yelled sarcastically. Velma and Thirteen were pushed back to by the site leaders closing in on them.  
"Do you trust me?" Thirteen asked Velma.  
"If it gets us out of here then yeah," Velma responded. Thirteen took Velma's hand and with a deep breath teleported right out the site leader's circle. Thirteen kept teleporting for a solid 5 seconds and stopped to catch her breath. Thirteen kneeled down next to a tree and began to pant like she was Pheidippides when he ran from Marathon to Athens. Velma was completely discombobulated by the sudden change in motion. She felt like she needed to throw up but swallowed it.

"Thanks," Velma said with gratitude towards Thirteen.  
"Don't get the wrong idea I only saved you because you're paying me!" Thirteen said defensively. Velma backed away from Thirteen and looked back to where they came from.

"Do you think they'll catch up to us?" Velma asked. Thirteen stood up and regained her composure and walked over to Velma.

"Trust me even the fastest person I know couldn't catch up to me teleporting." Thirteen boasted. Velma looked deeper into the forest and saw a neon-bright light coming from the direction they came from.

"What's that?" Velma asked as the light came closer. Thirteen looked up at the light and panic that Velma had never seen in anyone envelop Thirteen.

"Get down!" Thirteen yelled as she tackled Velma. When they hit the ground a giant beam of plasma passed right over them singing the tips of Thirteen's hair. Thirteen got off of Velma and looked to where the beam came from. The beam left a wake of devastation; Trees were charred and missing entire chunks; The ground had a giant trail with burning embers from the blast.

"Goddamnit, how did he find us?" Thirteen asked referring to Genndy. Genndy knew he couldn't get to them in time so he decided to do something crazy.

"Magneta launch me by the arm!" Genndy commanded. Magneta jumped with delight before, without any warning, using her ability to wrap Genndy's arm in a magnetic field and manipulating it to spin Genndy in a circle and release him in the direction of Thirteen and Velma.

Genndy flew through the air and by the trees towards Thirteen and Velma. Thirteen looked up and saw the giant man flying through the air and grabbed Velma by the arm and ran, but Genndy landed right in front of them. His prosthetic arm glowed a neon blue.

"Now could you please direct me to Army Man?" Genndy said as he took a step towards the two women.

"Percy!" Catherine yelled. Everyone looked around for Percy and John Doe.

"What just happened?!" Johnny asked. Simon flashed back to the day's earlier events and realized that the assailant was John Doe.

"Dad! It's John Doe!" Simon exclaimed to his father. Army Man looked unphased by the fact his son was just kidnapped right in front of him. Army Man kneeled down and grabbed a tree branch off of the ground and threw it into the dark forest. When the branch landed all anyone heard was John Doe yelling...  
"OUCH!"

"Found him," Army Man proclaimed. Simon looked up to his father with envious eyes because he didn't figure it out before him. Army Man walked over to where he heard the exclamation of pain but before he could reach his destination he saw Percy run out of the dark forest and hide behind his leg.

"Get back here!" John Doe yelled. Army Man heard dead branches crack from the direction Percy came from and unholstered his Desert Eagle and pointed it towards the dark forest. The bush rustled for a bit then stopped and left a deafening silence behind.

"Man Genndy was right! You really are slow," John Doe said appearing behind Army Man and Percy. Army Man turned around and pulled the trigger but then when a tiny "_click_" could be heard he remembered he didn't reload his gun. John took advantage of this moment and tried to grab Percy, but was met with a punch to the face by Army Man. John fell over with a throbbing headache from the blow. John attempted to get back up but his arm was bound to the ground by wooden constraints made by Ed. John tried to rip off the constraints but found, to his dismay, that Ed's chains are pretty much unbreakable by hand.

"Of course!" John said giving up his escape attempt. Everyone surrounded John and looked down at the bound young adult.

"Well I would make a bondage joke but this doesn't seem like the time," Dealer said immediately being punched in the jaw by Catherine. Percy continued to hide behind his father until he knew that the threat was gone. John saw this and looked at him with eyes filled with hate.

"Congratulations, you did what very few can accomplish. You captured the elusive John Doe!" John exclaimed sarcastically while imitating a trumpet and doing his own fanfare. Army Man was unimpressed by John's display.

"Well, this is our first time meeting so it can't be that hard," Jim said.

"Yeah says the one who sat there and did nothing!" John said with a sly smirk. Jim was about to shoot back until Army Man stepped in and began to question John.

"What do you want with my son?" Army Man asked. John smiled at the question and responded with…

"Ughh! You know sometimes I get tired of you all not knowing shit. Percy has one of the strongest abilities Magneta has ever seen! But I'm not here to steal his abilities, I'm here to use them." John proclaimed. Everyone stared at John with confused eyes.

"Percy the strongest?" Everyone thought. John smiled at their confusion.

"The only ability Percy has is healing how could that be the strongest ability she's ever seen?" Ed asked.

"No, no, Percy has two more abilities, pre- and retro-cognition, that's what his dreams are," Army Man added. Ed and Johnny looked at their father with shocked eyes. Ed was confused by his dad's statement of two other powers that he had no idea about while Johnny was furious that once again he was left outside of the loop.

"You kept this from us!" Johnny exclaimed with a passion Army Man had never seen his, usually laid-back, son display ever in his entire life. Johnny looked at Catherine with an accusatory glare.

"Let me guess, you knew about it too," Johnny said to his sister bluntly.

"Listen we were going to tell you but we ran into a certain insect," Catherine said defensively. Johnny didn't want another excuse for why he wasn't told anything about what they were dealing with. Meanwhile, John Doe is enjoying the drama like a high school girl.

"Listen both of you stop bickering we have a possible code:..."

Army Man managed to get out before being interrupted by Johnny.

"No, you listen! I've been left out of everything for basically my entire life and it stops today!" Johnny proclaimed while pointing his finger at his father. Army Man was furious and proud that Johnny had the guts to do what even the bravest couldn't. Talkback to him.

"It stops when you stop throwing temper tantrums like a 5-year-old!" Army Man yelled at his son. Johnny was angry at his dad and his sister to the point where he just walked away from them.

"Where are you going?!" Army Man shouted.

"To my room!" Johnny yelled as he walked closer to the charred remains of the mansion.

The mansion, while still missing entire chunks of rooms, still had Johnny's room in some shape of repair. Ed was about to chase after his brother but was stopped by Smoky.

"Let me handle this," Smoky said before going after Johnny who had already entered the house. Ed was hesitant to the suggestion but nodded his head in agreement. John Doe looked at Smoky leave and proceeded to laugh his heart out.

"Picture perfect family I guess," John laughed out loud. Army Man glared at him with a rage of a thousand suns. Dealer then bitch slapped John Doe with as much force as he could muster.

"Ow! Fucking bastard!" John cursed out. Catherine covered Percy's ears from the profanity. John felt the wooden constraints on him tighten to the point where his hand could fall off. Army Man looked at Ed and as if there was some father-son connection and Ed stopped and loosened the constraints. John grunted with pain as he rubbed his arm.

"What do you want with Percy's abilities?" Army Man asked with his last bit of patience.

"I want him to open Julia's safe with 'Break' dumbass!" John exclaimed.

"With what?" Percy inquired while emerging from behind his father's leg.

"Julia's safe!" Dealer exclaimed with panic. Dealer knew Army Man would practically kick him out of his niece and nephews' lives if he found out he was trying to steal from him.

"_FUUUUUCK THIS IS WORSE THAN THE TIME I BET MY RETIREMENT FUNDS_ _IN AN UNDERGROUND POKER TOURNAMENT!_" Dealer shouted inside his head.

"What's 'Break'?" Percy asked. John looked at Percy with a confused look, then looked at everyone else seeing if Percy was joking. To his dismay, they all looked like they didn't know anything.

"Of course she had to keep up the victim act." John Doe whispered to himself with an undertone of sadness. "The ability with the power to break anything. Bones, a person's mental state, the ground beneath our feet right now, it can even bring down an entire building with the snap of a person's fingers."

Everyone looked at John Doe with disbelief all over their faces.

"Percy doesn't have what you're looking for, and why would he," Catherine asked.

"Because Julia had it. A-DOY!" John Doe said mockingly. Catherine was baffled at John's sentence.

"Mom didn't have any abilities."

"None she told you about."

Percy looked at his hands wondering if he really could do the terrifying things John said. He looked over at a tree nearby and decided to test the theory.

"Julia didn't have any powers. I was married to her for 14 years I should know," Army Man stated with confidence. John looked at Army Man with fury ridden eyes.

Percy looked up at the tall sequoia with curious eyes and looked down at his hand thinking about how he should do this.

"I should know because I knew her before you took her away from me!" John said with passion and sadness underlying his tone. Simon watched from a distance as the two argued until he heard John's statement and thought about it for a while. He sat there and remembered what John said earlier. "So, little brother.." Simon didn't know what John meant by these words and know he had a guess he didn't want to be right.

Percy put his hand up against the sequoia, closed his eyes, and focused on the words that John had said earlier.

"What do you mean I saved her?!"

"No, you set a monster loose into the world!"

"The ability to break anything"

Percy's hand began to glow but unlike the green aura that he usually conjures it was a sickly purple. And underneath his hand cracks began to form on the tall tree.

"Bones"

The cracks began to spread from the tips of Percy's fingers to the outer branches of the tree.

"A person's mental state"

The tree began to deteriorate from the cracks outward and began to die.

"The ground beneath our feet right now"

The ground beneath Percy cracked as well. The tree began to hollow and dead branches fell off.

"It can even bring down an entire building with a snap of a person's fingers."

The tree then became a hollow shell of what it was just 5 seconds ago. Percy opened his eyes and looked at the tree he killed. He was filled with terror from what he had done and looked at his hands. He felt a hand touch his shoulder.

He was afraid if anyone touched him they would meet the same fate as the tree he just eradicated from life. He turned around with the speed and fear of a gazelle being stalked by a predator. He turned around to face his father who was worried about his son, his sister who had her mouth covered by her trembling hands, his brother, Ed, who was filled to the brim with fear, his uncle who had to take a step back and look at the display his nephew just made Jim who was examining the dead tree in disbelief, and John Doe who was smiling because they would believe him now.

Thirteen swung her blades at the huge man that she and Velma had fighting for probably 3 minutes. Genndy stepped quickly to the left and dodged the blades easily. Thirteen swung her blades with as much energy as she could muster. Genndy dodged to the right this time and Thirteen managed to cut the fabric in his cloak. Genndy examined the cloak and frowned.

"You're paying my tailor for this," Genndy said grumpily. Thirteen smiled at that statement.

"This bastard isn't taking me seriously is he?" Thirteen asked herself. Thirteen sprinted towards Genndy with one of her swords pointed outwards aiming for Genndy's midsection; Thirteen approached Genndy with a fierce look in her eye. Genndy smirked as he saw Thirteen's target.

As Thirteen got closer and closer she felt her legs getting weaker, her arms could barely hold up her swords, and her breaths became more shallow. Thirteen became slower and slower until she fell over gasping for air.

"Hmph. I thought you would put up a fight," Genndy said walking over to the suffocating Thirteen.

Thirteen felt like every part of her body was being crushed by an invisible force that she couldn't stop. Genndy kneeled down next to Thirteen and grabbed her sword with his only arm by the handle. He examined it for a moment and took note of the craftsmanship.

"Nice handiwork, who made it?" Genndy asked Thirteen knowing she couldn't respond. Genndy brought the blade to his prosthetic cannon arm and dragged the blade along it. The sound it made was unusual instead of the usual sound of when metal scrapes against metal, it made this eerie sound that made Thirteen feeling the dread of death, and when he dragged it along his cannon it made mysterious light-blue sparks.

"Interesting," Genndy said as he dropped the sword to the ground and stepped on it, causing it to break into millions of tiny pieces as if it were made of glass.

Thirteen was turning blue, she was dying. Genndy stood up and heard something behind him. He turned around and was met by two fist-shaped rockets punching him in the gut. Genndy was thrown back and was flung through about eight trees before the fists let go of the man but because of his momentum, he kept rocketing backward until he hit another tree.

Thirteen felt the invisible force leave her and she caught her breath.

"Let's stop the near-death experiences. Ok, Thirteen?" Thirteen heard someone say from behind her. Thirteen looked behind and found Velma standing behind her with her suit gone. The rocket fists came rocketing back towards Velma and stopped right in front of her face. The fists then combined together to make Velma's helmet. Velma caught the helmet before it hit the ground and placed it on her head. From the neck down Velma's suit began to envelop her entire body. Thirteen stood up and grabbed her other sword, which wasn't broken, and examined the remains of her other sword.

"Where the fuck were you I had to fight laser canon over there?!" Thirteen exclaimed with a little undertone of fear from her almost last memory being suffocated.

"It takes a while for my suit to form complex objects so I would've been useless to you unless you would've wanted me to be dead with you," Velma said while manifesting her armor's right arm into a futuristic tablet. The tablet had a series of numbers and seemed to be doing a million calculations a millisecond to Thirteen, but Velma knew that her suit could calculate up to 9,000 calculations per second. The tablet had finally stopped doing calculations and had a screen that read: ALPHA SUIT PERCENTAGE: 10%.

"Damn it," Velma said. "My suit can probably last us around 60 minutes,"

Thirteen wasn't paying attention to Velma she was trying to come to terms that Genndy was the only person in a long time who got her that close to death's door.

Velma looked at Thirteen, who was lost in thought, and walked over to her.

"What's wrong?" Velma asked putting her hand on Thirteen's shoulder. Suddenly Thirteen turned around, grabbed Velma's shoulders, and stared her in the eyes for a second then let her go.

"Sorry," Thirteen said while staring into her reflection by the blade. As she did this she realized that there was another figure's reflection in her blade she looked behind her and saw no one. As she looked back at her blade she was kicked in the face by Mirror Master nocking her down to the hard ground. Velma saw the fight and tried to help Thirteen but her suit wouldn't budge.

"Going somewhere Velma Johannson?" Magneta said mocking Velma for saying her full name earlier. "I'm afraid Genndy's fun time with you is over. I don't know why he didn't just kill you right away but I guess he just found something interesting about you two,"

Thirteen got off the ground and squared up against Mirror Master. Mirror Master ran straight towards Thirteen. Thirteen swung at him but Mirror Master slid under the attack. He stopped sliding behind Thirteen and kicked the back of her legs making her kneel. Thirteen turned around and swung her right fist at Mirror Master again but Mirror Master dodged to the left and grabbed her fist and spun around Thirteen and bent her arm around her head. Mirror Master kicked Thirteen in the spine causing all of Thirteen's balance to be lost and she fell to the ground.

"Two to zero. Do you want to try again?" Magneta teased the defeated Thirteen.

"Magneta!" Genndy scolded. Genndy walked over with a completely tarnished cloak. Magneta and Mirror Master backed away from Thirteen not wanting to get in the way of Genndy's anger. As Genndy approached Thirteen she felt the same dread of death as he came closer. Velma started to gasp for air as the same feeling took hold of her.

"You two think it was that easy to get rid of me didn't you?" Genndy asked knowing the two women couldn't respond. Genndy walked over to the suffocating Velma and grabbed her arm.

"Let's make sure you can't punch anyone for a while," Genndy said as he broke Velma's suit and actual arm like they were drywall.

Velma wanted to scream but she was being suffocated to death. As Velma was gasping for air to scream she saw the anger in Genndy's eyes disappear and give way to sorrow.

Thirteen felt the invisible force suffocating her leave and took a big breath of fresh oxygen. She looked over at Genndy and saw him walk away while pulling the hood over his head. He stopped next to exterminator and Sentinel who was off to the side watching the scene go down.

"5 hours new record," Magneta whispered to herself.

"I'm sorry but we don't have time to waste here any more girls," Genndy said while pointing his canon towards Velma. Thirteen saw Genndy aim towards her employer and panicked. She grabbed her unbroken sword from the ground and threw it at Genndy. The sword flew through the air and whizzed right by Mirror Master and Sentinel. The sword flew towards the canon and lodged itself in the barrel of the cannon.

"What the hell you idiot?!" Magneta screamed. Genndy looked at his cannon glow unstable and emit a violent neon blue.

"Genndy do something!" Sentinel said worriedly while running behind a tree. Genndy looked at his cannon dumbly at his cannon then pointed towards the sky. The cannon then fired a neon blue beam into the night sky.

Genndy was completely unphased by the fact that his shoulder was harboring a beam of plasma.

Thirteen stood up and walked towards Velma.

"C'mon we gotta go!" Thirteen said nervously. Velma struggled to escape from Magneta's magnetic field. She kept trying to escape but, to no avail, she stayed in the same place.

"Don't think I'm going anywhere," Velma said giving up. "You gotta go you have to tell everyone that they're in danger."

"But quick question if I do this there's something I need to ask you." Thirteen said with uncertainty lacing her very soul. "Do you really think something else happened on that plane?"

Velma didn't know why Thirteen asked her that question now but already knew her answer. Velma nodded her head in agreement and Thirteen smiled at her for some reason that Velma couldn't understand.

Genndy's arm stopped firing into the sky and when he aimed his arm down to the ground Thirteen's sword fell from the barrel. The sword was seemed to be untouched by anything it just went through. It was spotless. It was starting glow blue.

"What the hell?" Genndy asked as Thirteen teleported towards the site leaders and grabbed her sword. Thirteen took a deep breath and plunged her sword into the ground. When her sword made contact with the soil beneath her feet it released a shockwave that knocked back Magneta, Exterminator, Mirror Master, Sentinel, and Genndy.

Velma was amazed at the display that was performed before her and couldn't stop her eyes from glowing with curiosity.

Thirteen was taking a breather she had used up at least, if not all, some of her remaining stamina.

**Thirteen's Remaining Stamina: 4/10**

"Impressive light show but still not enough to kick me out of the ring," Genndy said getting back up from the ground. Thirteen felt the feeling of death creeping up her back like a snake. Thirteen stood up only to fall back down to the ground as the feeling took hold of legs. She began to crawl feeling it now controlling her lungs. She began to gasp for air. She kept trying to get away but the feeling now had its claws on her arms. She stopped crawling and sat there on the ground gasping for air. Genndy began to close the distance between them and activated his cannon ready to fire. Velma began to struggle against the magnetic field and she kept struggling until the field suddenly disappeared.

"She must've lost consciousness." Velma thought to herself as she sprinted over to Genndy and summoned a hammer.

As Velma sprinted she felt her legs give out and she fell to the ground.

"No. c'mon," Velma thought as she began to crawl. The feeling was slowly crawling up Velma's spine. She fought the feeling as much as she could but succumbed to it.

"How does it feel?" Genndy asked Thirteen. "I never know how it feels to be under my abilities effect but I do hear it's like a snake that injects its venom into every muscle of your body. I wonder f it's that painful,"

"Don't worry soon enough you're gonna feel something a lot worse soon!" A voice said from the woods. Genndy looked towards where the voice came from and saw a familiar face. A face that's seared into his very dreams. The face that took his arm.

"Army Man how long has it been?" Genndy asked the soldier.

"Six years of you being a pain in my ass," Army Man replied with an undertone of sadness and anger.

"I could say the same thing about you. Where's your youngest?"

"Far away from you and that's all that matters,"

Genndy examined his surroundings and saw that there was something with the silhouette of a grasshopper in the trees, a person behind him with metal skin, heard a stick to the left of him break but didn't see anything, and there was a smaller one hiding behind some trees.

"I see that the rest aren't,"


	7. Chapter 7:Mother Knows Best

Chapter 7: Mother knows best

_It was the middle of the night in the south wing of the Predator site and not a single person was in the halls, except for Min. Min was a fairly tall 12-year-old boy, he had milky brown skin, blue eyes, black hair with the sides cut down. He was wearing a white uniform. It was a baggy shirt with tight pants that made everyone in his Talon uncomfortable. Min was the best out of his Talon; he had skills that even some of his trainers wish they had. Min was strong, acrobatic, and smart. He had no weaknesses according to his fellow cadets. Well, except for one and that weakness was John Doe. _

_John Doe was the only thing that could be used against Min. John and Min were inseparable; they would sneak out and go down to a creek that wasn't far from the PHA site, steal from other cadets, prank the visiting site leaders, Exterminator specifically, and they would steal from Syntho's kitchen daily. They were practically brothers, until one day they decided to prank John's mother._

_They got help from Syntho and created a device that made extremely loud explosion noises. John's mom was running around the room for hours. Once she found the device she knew it was Min and John's doing. She yelled at John and hit him, giving him a black eye, and Min wasn't allowed to see him anymore. When Syntho saw John's black eye he argued with John's mother for days on end until one day he got a broken arm and never spoke to John and Min again. _

_Two weeks later, John was shipped miles away and Min never knew why. He kept asking John's mother where he was but she would always lie to him. Min was waiting for answers from someone who would never give them. Well, Min was tired of waiting, he needed answers, so he decided to get them at midnight. He marched up to the door that his superior officers feared. Min stood there for a second until he hesitantly knocked on the door. They were two soft fearful knocks but the woman he had been there to see answered. The woman was tall and skinny; Her hair was a milky brown; Her skin was a milk-white; Her eyes were a powerful green; She wore a sleeping robe with words in cursive near the bottom that read: "Mother knows best"._

"_Cadet Min, why are you here so late at night?" She said with a hint of confusion. Min looked at the woman dead in her eyes and asked one simple question:_

"_Where's John?" The woman looked offended by Min's words and glared at him._

"_I told you John is at Magneta's base doing some educational activities." Min gritted his teeth at the lady's words. He knew she was lying, he knew everyone knew she was lying but didn't care because nobody cared about John except him._

"_You're lying," Min whispered under his breath._

"_What did you say, cadet?" The woman inquired already knowing what the boy said. She wanted to see if he dared to say it twice._

"_I said you're lying, bitch! You're always lying about how John's doing and he's always lying to cover you because he thinks you love him, but you don't! Genndy shows more love than you, you...you dense whore!" Min yelled. Min's face began to turn red with fury and he balled his fist restraining himself from hitting the woman. Min looked at the woman, who was unphased by Min's frustration, and she was smiling at him. Min's anger was quickly replaced with confusion as she knelt and placed her hand on his shoulder._

"_Now, I want you to think about what you just said," The woman said looking into Min's eyes with the most unfeeling manner Min has ever seen from her._

"_What would happen if I told Genndy what you just said?" Min froze at the name. Genndy was his commanding officer, the only man he feared in his meaningless life. Genndy found Min in some dumpster 11 years ago in some dingy back alley that his parents had abandoned him in. Min stood there frozen as the woman stood and turned away grabbing the door._

"_Oh, and by the way, it's Professor Julia Hayes," Julia said before slamming the door in Min's face. Min clenched fists and scowled at the door as if Julia was still standing there. He was tired of Julia and every one treating John as if he was nothing, nobody, an object. He was going to stop that once and for all._

Percy was hiding behind a tree watching as Genndy stared down his father with the eyes of a lion.

Army Man looked Genndy straight in his eyes and it seemed as if they were having a mental game of chess. Who draws first? Who plays their pawns, knights, rooks, but the question only one of them was willing to answer was…who or what were they willing to sacrifice.

**Earlier near the mansion**

Army Man watched as Percy turned around with fear in his eyes of what he had just done to the, now dead, sequoia.

John looked up to the dead tree and was surprised that Percy did that little damage to the surroundings with "Break".

"You have a lot of work to do if you want to master "Break"," John said. Percy looked terrified by those words, he wanted to forget that whatever this power can do, and did, forever but he couldn't as long as it pulsed through his veins it was a part of him. And he hated that. He hated that when he used it felt like death emerged from his hands onto the tree that he just destroyed, he hated that it was his mother's power to heal and destroy, he hated that a little voice in his head knew exactly how to use it, and what he hated most of all was that deep down he liked it.

Percy embraced his father not wanting to think about what he had done, he had the childhood fantasy that when daddy was nearby he would scare away the monsters.

John saw Percy's face and loved the look of terror and sadness that it displayed, and decided to play with him.

"How did it feel to kill something faster than it took it to grow and blossom, or for it to die?" John asked, causing Percy to embrace his father harder. "I mean you have to get better with it if you wanna be of any use to us." Percy's legs began to glow a familiar shade of purple. "C'mon Perc isn't this what Julia gave you "Break" for she wanted you to use it, are you gonna waste a gift given to you by mommy." Percy began to tear up and the ground beneath his legs began to crack slowly. Army Man and everyone else felt Percy's discomfort and tried to stop it.

"You should shut up right now," Catherine said as she transformed her skin into titanium threatening John. John felt the restraint tighten around his arm once again.

John yelled with fury, "Oh yeah! That's right, you guys want to believe Julia was perfect. Well, pop goes the weasel! She wasn't. She was a monster who fooled you and would bruise me. But all you got to see was a wolf in sheep's clothing," Catherine glared at John. She didn't, or she didn't want to, believe what John was saying. All the love Julia showed her when she was younger, she didn't want that to be fake. She didn't want any of what Julia built to be fake. This family, her family, she didn't want the person that brought them together to be fake. "You have no idea what she put me through! Then, she decides to leave for some gun-crazy bastard and take four randos with her, not even saying goodbye, taking dad's arm and destroying most of our home! You got to see a loving, kind, and understanding woman. I got to see what it was like to be afraid of going to sleep with the door open!"

John began to cry, catching Catherine off-guard. Ed loosened the restraints but not by much he was still not buying John's performance. Percy stopped embracing his father and looked towards John with still teary eyes. Percy walked away from his dad and approached John with hesitant steps. Every step Percy took small cracks would appear in the ground beneath his feet.

As he got closer he felt the stress and tension trickle down his spine. Percy stopped and stood in front of a crying John and hugged him.

"If it makes you feel any better I didn't get to meet either side of her." A green aura surrounded the two and John, for the first time in years, felt a love he missed... familial.

John began to bawl his eyes out letting his guard down for the first time in years and letting tears spill from his eyes.

Meanwhile, Dealer was slipping away trying to get to the safe before anyone noticed he was gone. Jim saw Dealer leaving and decided to slip out as well because he had no stake in what was happening.

Catherine was going to walk over and separate the two until Ed held her back and watched as the green aura danced around the two.

As Percy embraced John, he felt memories of John's past leak into his head. Not entire memories just fragments.

"_Hey, Mommy, look what I and Min found near the creek today," _Percy heard a young John Doe exclaim with excitement.

"_Not now! Mommy is dealing with more important things than you!" _He heard Julia say dismissing John.

"_Mom! Look I can turn invisible!" _A young John said with surprise and excitement.

"_Come back when you can do something useful!" Julia yelled_

Percy felt every emotion, every bruise, and every scar John felt in these fragments. John began to see little fragments- No- entire memories from Percy's mind.

_John saw his mother, Julia, lying down in a wooden bed. And next to her was an 11-year-old Simon. Simon looked as if you just copied and pasted his face onto a younger version of himself. He didn't have robotic legs as he did now. He did, on the other hand, still wear a trench coat that was too big on him but not by that much. _

_She was cradling a very young Percy._

_"Hey, Simon could you get a bottle for Percy, please?" Simon nodded and went to grab a bottle from down the hall. When Simon left, John noticed that unlike the mansion he recognized, this house only had one story._

_Julia looked down at the infant Percy and smiled. John felt saddened by the fact she never seemed to smile like that towards him. _

_"You know Percy, I had another son before you. He was cute and funny but I was young, dumb, idiotic, and I didn't meet your father yet. So I treated him as if he was a stranger who I could take my frustrations out on." Julia said before wiping a tear from her eye. John began crying more at this statement._

_"But I realized that I wasn't ready, nor did I deserve to raise him. But I left him with someone worse than me. So Perc if you ever see him, tell him I'm sorry for me, okay?" Julia said before hearing Simon run to the back of the hallway, with a laserdisc in his hand._

_"Mom we have to go!" Simon exclaimed before he heard a lever-action shotgun being primed._

That was the last thing John heard before the memory stopped.

The green aura disappeared and Percy stopped embracing John. There was an awkward silence that was way too heavy for even Army Man to lift. Ed had almost completely loosened the restraints, but no one noticed because of John and Percy's display.

"Thanks," John said with tears in his eyes. Percy began to tear up as well.

"You're welcome," Percy said, ready to cry.

John was amazed that in 5 minutes these people he called his enemies have shown him more love than his father in 21 years. He found it funny for some reason, that his mother, the woman he despised for years, gave birth to the boy, who he tried to kidnap a few moments ago, was now giving him something Min didn't even give him.

Everyone stood there for a second until Ed turned around and saw Jim and Dealer sneaking back to the mansion.

Dealer was tiptoeing like he was a cartoonish thief trying to steal a giant diamond from the city's vault.

Jim was trying to "silently" roll his wheelchair away from the group.

"Where are you two going?" Ed asked, catching the attention of everyone near the scene. Dealer stopped in his tracks and broke into a cold sweat. Jim was just embarrassed to be called out loudly. Dealer turned around and started fiddling with his collar.

"Uhh...we're going to...uhhh…," Dealer stuttered for a second, catching the attention of everyone, especially Army Man, and Dealer was panicking.

While Dealer was thinking of something to say, a large blast of neon blue light was fired into the sky. Catching everyone's attention, except for Dealer who made a break for it. Ed saw his uncle running towards the mansion and ran after him leaving behind everyone else.

"Shit! Genndy." John said, smacking himself with his free arm. Army Man looked towards everyone and frowned. He knew they couldn't take Genndy on in their current state; they had to run or die. And he knew the best option was…

"What are you guys waiting for? Let's go," John said, trying once again to break Ed's restraints. Everyone looked at John as if he had lost his mind.

"What? Trust me my dad and Magneta are the only two threats. All we have to do is take those two, defeat Exterminator, and Sentinel is useless," John said confidently.

Army Man was genuinely stunned by John's rather sub-par tactics, not because they weren't descriptive, but because he was willing to betray his father and comrades from a seemingly simple hug.

"What about Mirror Master?" Simon inquired across the way still on the ground with broken legs.

John was saddened by the statement but was immediately filled with resolve.

"Leave Min to me," John said seriously. John tried to stand up but was tugged back down by Ed's restraints.

"Mind getting rid of these, pal?" John said. Ed had somewhat tightened the restraints around his wrist and scowled at John.

"What makes you think we'd trust you?" Ed said.

"Let him go," Army Man said.

Everyone looked at Army Man with surprised faces.

"Percy, do you trust him?" Army Man asked his son. Percy nodded at his father. Army Man nodded back at Percy and waved towards Ed.

"Dad, remember the last time Percy trusted someone? You were stabbed in the throat!" Ed exclaimed bringing memories of Thirteen back to Army Man.

"And remember the last time you questioned my authority? You were grounded for a week!" Army Man laughed out. Percy giggled at the joke.

Ed begrudgingly released John from the restraints. John rubbed his wrist and stood up. He looked at his former enemies and thought.

"Wow! I am doing this."

John chuckled at the fact he was going on a suicide mission against his father. He thought about what Min would say to him.

"John this is the second most idiotic thing you've done in your life." Is probably what he'd say. He imagined what Syntho would say too. Syntho probably wouldn't care as long as it didn't interfere with his work.

John smiled at the fondness of this moment. He frowned at the fact his friends would become his enemies if he went through with this. He sighed and then shed one tear which he wiped away.

"Who's ready to fight a monster?" John said, looking Army Man directly in his eyes.

"I think the real question is… are you?" Army Man inquired. John smiled at his step-father.

"I was born ready," John said bravely.

Thirteen looked at everyone surrounding Genndy, rose from the ground, and grabbed her blade. She looked over and saw Velma writhing in pain from her broken arm but got up to help in some way.

Velma struggled to rise until Thirteen walked over and helped her up.

Velma formed one blade in her hand and handed it to Thirteen.

"Sorry about your other one but I could make you another if you want," Velma said, still catching her breath from Genndy's effect.

Thirteen smiled at the proposal and took Velma's blade.

"Just survive before you go making promises," Thirteen said with an undertone of sadness. Velma noticed but didn't ask any questions because of her broken arm.

Velma formed a chain blade when Thirteen took the blade and prepared to fight.

Genndy saw he was surrounded and chuckled.

"You think surrounding me is gonna do something?" Genndy said deadpan with no emotion. Army Man looked him in his eyes with no emotion whatsoever. He was thinking for a moment he had to think about what John said not even 1 minute ago.

"_I don't know Genndy's ability but I know one thing he has a limit. He can only target, up to, about 5 objects including people. We play around that we win, we use our abilities to their fullest, we win. We play the game smartly, we win."_

Army Man knew whatever decision he made would set the outcome of this battle in stone.

Army Man rose his hands slowly to his face. Genndy flinched when he saw this motion. Genndy knew if he was impatient he would lose this battle. He sat there and watched the man he loathed grab his eyepatch and remove it from its position.

Army Man held his eyepatch in his hand and stared at the back of it fondly.

Army Man forgot about his foe that stood before him and let his surroundings melt around him. Remembering the scenery of an airport, he saw him and Julia running towards the exit of an airport with 4 toddlers in hand.

"_Julia what are we doing?! Genndy's right behind us!" Army Man said with slight panic. _

_Julia was holding the hands of three-year-old Catherine and Ed. Army Man was holding the hands of Three-year-old Simon and Johnny. They were running from Genndy and Sentinel. They just rescued the 4 toddlers they were running in hand with._

"_I can't believe we got out of Argus base without dying," Julia said with a little laughter. She was still a little hyper with all the adrenaline from their "daring" escape through an airport. They were running from the demon himself, Genndy. He was chasing them because they had just run away with the best of their newest batch of PEs. _

"_You know, we should do this more often!" Julia said with more conspicuous laughter. Army Man smiled at her laugh because he loved that it was contagious, he loved how Julia's usually put together face contorts into a smile, he loved how it always made his day to see that laugh._

_As they ran by all the civilians trying to lose Genndy, Julia saw a booth named: Bobby's Prop Shop__. with many different props and stopped. She examined the booth with curious eyes and scanned until she saw something of value._

_Army Man noticed Julia's absence and looked behind him wondering where she had gone. He saw her standing at the booth buying a black object and borrowing a white thin marker from the attendant. As Army Man approached the stand, he saw her writing something on the back of the object, which he now realized was an eyepatch. _

_Julia gave the attendant back his white marker and ran back towards Army Man with Catherine and Ed in tow. _

"_What's that for?" Army Man inquired. Julia smiled at the question and handed Army Man the eyepatch. He examined the eyepatch and noticed a grey "x" on the patch and another "x" within the previous one. He thought his current patch was fine as is and he didn't need another. He flipped over the patch and read Julia's neat cursive on it. It read: Thank you for destroying my world and building it better than I could ever imagine._

_Army Man loved the meaning of the words but not the phrasing. He looked at Julia and saw her signature smile and he didn't want to ruin that smile so he took off the eyepatch he was wearing and put on the one Julia bought with the last of her spending money. _

"_Happy one year of knowing each other's anniversary!" Julia said, making her own fanfare. _

Army Man's surroundings came back into focus. Genndy stared at him wondering why he was standing there looking at his eyepatch.

Army Man stared at the now faded white text his wife wrote all those years ago. He smiled at the text thinking about Julia and her smile.

"No, thank you," Army Man said with a tear in his eye.

He raised his arms and put his eyepatch on, covering his eye once again. He looked up and stared Genndy right in the eyes again. He drew his desert eagle and pointed towards Genndy.

"I want you to realize that I don't care if your ability is unstoppable. I don't care if you're 2 feet taller than me. You hurt my son. You hurt my family. You killed my wife. And I'll show you no…I'll make you feel every bit of pain I felt." Army Man said priming the weapon.

Johnny stormed towards his room full of anger and sadness. He walked past countless burned pictures of him and his family. He didn't pay much attention to them, as he was in a fit of anger, but there was one that caught his attention. It was the first picture without Julia, his mother, and it saddened him even more. It was of him, Catherine, Ed, Army Man, and an almost 1-year-old Percy. Johnny remembered that day like it was yesterday.

_It was 5 months after Julia's death. Everyone was reacting to it differently. Simon was still grieving even after they rescued him and Percy from the PHA. _

_"Simon get down here now!" Dealer yelled towards the top of the mansion. He was starting to get a little impatient with his nephew. He was always up there watching for something that would never come. He was just like his father, always isolating himself from everyone. _

_"C'mon people! Chop, chop!" _

_Dealer went towards the forest to find Ed talking to a little sapling that he decided to name Barky. _

_"Oh c'mon Barky, Simon isn't that bad," Ed said to the little sapling. The sapling replied in a series of high-pitched barks and grunts. Ed's face reacted with disgust as he listened to the barks._

_"Barky! Language!" _

_"Ed c'mon we have to take this picture! Everyone else is ready!"_

_"Oh, see you later Barky!" Ed said as he stood and ran towards the newly made wooden mansion. When Ed arrived, he saw Army Man, Catherine holding an almost 1-year-old Percy, and Johnny lined up in front of the mansion. Dealer was standing in front of them ready to take a photo. _

_Ed looked around and didn't see Simon. _

_"Where's Simon?" Ed looked up and found his answer. Simon was on the roof for the 7th time today._

_"Don't try he won't come down." Army Man fixing his graying hair. _

_"I don't know why he doesn't just talk to us. He just blocked everyone out one day. He barely comes into the house anymore," Catherine said, putting Percy on the ground. Percy wobbled a bit before balancing himself. Catherine smiled at the toddler. She saw every bit of Julia in him. She wasn't here to protect Julia, so she had to be here to protect Percy. _

_Johnny looked up and couldn't see his brother. He knew Simon wasn't acting himself because he was recovering from Julia's death and what the PHA put him through for two weeks. But he swore something else was going on with him but he couldn't find out if he just stayed up there._

_"Do you guys think something else is going on with him?" Johnny turned around and put his hands in his pockets. Army Man looked at Johnny with an inquisitive face. _

_"Like what?"_

_"I dunno, but I just feel like something's off about him."_

_Dealer was ready to take the picture and was tired of waiting. Catherine whispered something in Army Man's ear and, with a brief moment of contemplation, replied with another whisper. Johnny caught this but didn't say anything._

_"Alright now everyone says…. Uhh… Colorado, I guess." Dealer said before snapping a picture._

Johnny stomped upstairs towards his room. His room was charred from corner to corner, his blue bed now had the color and smell of shit, drawings Percy gave him burned to crisp off the wall, the dumbells he and his dad used to work out with weren't destroyed but had soot stuck to them, the table him and Dealer used to play board and card games were firewood, the meditation mat Ed gave him, but never used, was just a few specs of ash on the floor.

Johnny looked around the place he used to call his room. He walked through every memory he had in this room. The good ones, the bad ones, and even the ones no one but him remembered. Johnny walked towards his bed and stepped on something that shattered. He looked down and saw a photo of him, Dealer, Ed, and a 5-year-old Percy in a mall.

Johnny smiled at the photo but frowned when he realized that the rest of his family wasn't there. He remembered that Catherine and his dad were somewhere looking into "something". To this day, Johnny still didn't know what they were doing. He was filled with anger and threw the photo within the glass frame into the charred hallway. Johnny's eyes began to tear up from the rage and sadness he felt. He leaned up against the wall and slowly sat down on the ground. He began to do something he felt like he wasn't allowed to do for so long, cry. He cried like the day he lost his mother. Streams of tears flooded from his eyes.

Little did Johnny know, someone was coming from downstairs. The footsteps were slow but steady. They were sure of their movement like they were doing something they hadn't done in years. Johnny heard the footsteps and tried his best to wipe his tears. The footsteps were only a few steps away from Johnny's room.

"Johnny boy looks like you dropped something," Smoky said, picking up the photo that Johnny had thrown out of his room. Smoky walked into the crying teenager's room and looked around at the charred place. He sat down next to Johnny and examined the photo. The photo was of everyone in an art shop showing amazed Percy art tools he hadn't seen before, like a canvas, and Percy loved every bit of it. Smoky smiled at the picture, it reminded him of his youth with Joseph.

Johnny curled up into a ball and turned away from his uncle. Smoky frowned and then smiled when he thought of a way to get Johnny to talk to him.

"You know, when I was your age Joseph and I used to sneak out of our houses and go to the mall in our town. We used to spend hours in the comic book store," Smoky said with laughter. He had a small tear in his eye from reliving the memories. "But, one day he stopped coming. And he was acting weird at school, and he stopped talking to me. I kept trying to get in touch, but he just stopped being my friend. He was keeping a secret from me and I hated him for it. We used to share everything and then he just cut the bridge connecting us,"

Johnny wasn't turned towards Smoky but he was listening to Smoky go on about his teenage years.

"Then, I decided to stop...waiting for him to share his secret. I decided that if something was going on in my friend's life I was going to find out. So I snuck out of my house and went to spy on him and found nothing the first day, went again and found nothing the second, went again…and you get the point. I did this for…uhm…2 weeks I think and finally, I found something." Johnny's head suddenly lifted itself in curiosity in the story and faced the old man with inquisitive eyes.

Smoky saw the look of hope in Johnny's eyes and decided that it was best to keep the rest of the story for another day.

"How about we finish this talk another time, your family needs you."

"If they need me they can't keep hiding things from me. They expect me to follow them blindly into no man's land! Just because my ability revolves around jokes doesn't mean I am one!"

"Well if you keep throwing a tantrum they won't take you seriously. Just think Johnny, if you keep acting like this... If you keep making reckless decisions how do you expect them to trust you with any information."

Johnny then took a moment to think about all the mistakes, dumb decisions, and tantrums he had done in an attempt to be taken seriously. He realized that he was acting Percy's age. Johnny then smacked himself and sighed.

"Ugh! Why do you of all people have to be right?" Johnny asked the old man.

"With age comes wisdom," Smoky said with a smirk that radiated pure old man energy. Johnny stood up and walked in front of Smoky and outstretched his hand. Smoky took the boy's hand and Johnny hoisted him up onto his feet. Smoky stretched from sitting on the floor.

"Welp, I guess I have to do the one thing I never wanted to do...admit that dad is right," Johnny said before a loud _**BANG**_ could be heard from downstairs.

"What, in the sweet name of Jesus, was that?!" Smoky exclaimed before hearing a certain scam artist's frustrations. Smoky and Johnny rushed downstairs and then another _**BANG **_was heard from the direction of the kitchen. As they rush towards the noise, they begin to hear someone's voice through the banging.

"C'mon, you piece of shit, I have to make it look like I found you somewhere else!" Johnny recognized the voice and then facepalmed when he turned the corner and saw his uncle Dealer pushing a safe. Every time he pushed the square safe it would roll over and make a sudden _**BANG **_Smoky and Johnny would hear.

"Dealer, what in the dickens, are you doing?!" Smoky exclaimed, catching Dealer by surprise.

"AAH! I forgot you two were upstairs," Dealer said with a sigh of relief. Johnny looked at his uncle with a face that screamed confused, he stood there like an idiot before he realized that he was pushing something he hadn't seen in years.

"Is...Is that...mom's safe?" Dealer stopped in his tracks as he realized that the very person who told him of the safe's existence is the very person who would be angrier than Army Man. Johnny stood there in denial for another moment wondering why Dealer had the very thing his family had been looking for for years. Then, denial became anger as Johnny balled his fists and looked at his uncle with the same anger that engulfed earlier.

"What are you doin' with that Dealer?" Smoky said calmly sensing Johnny's anger. Smoky knew Johnny's anger better than Dealer himself, he saw, first hand, what Johnny would do to someone if they made him angry.

"I found it lying under, what used to be, the kitchen. Now I'm trying to…" Dealer said before being interrupted by Johnny.

"Oh! Cut the bullshit Dealer we all know you were trying to steal whatever's in there!" Dealer was shocked his nephew would know he did such a thing. He saw his nephew's look of disbelief and anger and didn't want to be on the receiving end of another tantrum.

"What? Pfft...No, I was trying to move it to a better location. Y'know. Hehe. Did I mention if I'm in the right." Dealer said "trying" to keep up his facade. Dealer sat there in a cold sweat hoping that his nephew would believe him, but he knew Johnny better than anyone else and he knew Johnny knew him better than anyone else.

"Ugh! Fine, you caught me, but think about it. If we get this thing open we could go down to the mall and buy you that jacket you always wanted." Johnny looked at his uncle with a face that transformed from anger to disbelief to disappointment. Dealer watched the face of the only member of the Jules family who would protect him and defend his actions, transform into an expression that he never wanted to see from him. He watched on as his nephew walked away with his hands tucked into his jacket. Smoky shook his head as he followed Johnny.

Dealer stood there for a moment wondering...Why? Why couldn't he just stop? Why couldn't he just do the only thing people ask of him? Stay out of trouble. Dealer sat down next to the safe and looked at his reflection in the metallic object. He sat there for a solid ten seconds before hearing a gunshot go off in the distance.

**8 shots left**

Genndy was stunned as the bullet that was just fired flew right by his ear. Army Man smiled as he saw Genndy's face show actual fear for the second time in his lifetime.

"Now!" Army Man yelled as John Doe uncloaked himself behind his father and attempted to kick him in the back. John's foot simply stopped inches from its intended targets and John fell to his knees, coughing. Genndy looked at his son on the ground coughing, helpless and pathetic, completely bending to his ability's power.

"Nice try, but you should try something better than attacking from behind!" Genndy said before grabbing John and throwing him towards Army Man and the rest.

Army Man aimed his gun towards Genndy and fired. Genndy saw this coming and barely dodged the bullet as it tore through his cloak. Genndy aimed his cannon towards Army Man, but as soon as he was ready to fire Catherine appeared with titanium skin and Jim appeared with his ant form and punched him, full force, in the back. Genndy's back arched and then he fell to his knees. Catherine attempted to ax stomp Genndy but he rolled out of the way and used his ability. Catherine and Jim fell to their knees as she began gasping. Genndy tried to stand up but realized there were wooden chains on his legs before being swung into the nearest tree.

Ed grunted as he lifted the heavy 7-foot man. Genndy felt as if he was dying being swung into tree after tree. He was starting to pass out until he snapped out of it and gripped the wooden constraints and used his ability. Soon after Genndy was thrown into another tree and the constraints were broken. Genndy stood up only to be shot in the upper thigh.

"Ahhhhh!" Army Man simply looked at Genndy with one thought in mind...he had 6 shots left.

Army Man prepared to fire at Genndy another time before seeing a familiar blue blur coming into view. Thirteen whizzed by everyone and headed straight for Genndy. Genndy watched as the blur approached him, but there was something else about it, another person was teleporting with Thirteen.

Thirteen threw Velma towards Genndy and she transformed her suit's entire bottom half into a battering ram. She flew through the air, still in pain because of her broken arm, stopping only when her battering ram half collided with Genndy. Genndy's body colliding into the tree behind him caused the tree to fall over. Genndy attempted to stand but immediately lost footing due to the gunshot wound.

"For Barky!" Ed screamed as he ran towards Genndy with a wooden ax in hand. Ed ran forward until he was out of breath and his legs couldn't support his weight. He fell to the ground and began to gasp for air. Genndy attempted to stand once again but this time he barely felt the gunshot wound.

"Adrenaline is one hell of a bitch isn't she?!" Genndy exclaimed as he walked forwards with a limp. Genndy walked towards Ed ready to finish the job until he was shot in the foot. Army Man knew Genndy had 2 more targets until he couldn't use his ability so he had to make it quick. As Army Man was deep in strategy, he saw Thirteen whizz by him and approach Genndy.

Genndy tried to predict what part of his body she would attack, but what he couldn't predict was that she wasn't aiming for a vital organ, she was aiming for something else. Thirteen teleported closer and closer, Genndy aimed his cannon towards the blue streak. Genndy prepared to fire until there was no cannon to fire.

Genndy looked down and saw Thirteen slice his prosthetic at the socket. Genndy turned around to look at the perpetrator but was met with a swift robotic punch by Velma's unbroken arm. Genndy fell over and felt something wrap his neck. It slowly, like a snake, slithered around his neck and hoisted him into the air hanging him like a noose. Genndy realized that the thing strangling him was wooden like the constraints from earlier. Genndy searched for the PE doing this to him but couldn't find him anywhere.

"How does it feel to slowly lose your consciousness?! To feel something you can't stop slowly draining your life from you!" Thirteen exclaimed with anger. Genndy gasped for air and tried to use his ability on the wooden rope but it seemed as if the PE doing this had strengthened the rope. Genndy was internally panicking.

"How can I be publicly humiliated like this? I rose from some toy to be played with to an unstoppable monster! I killed those who touched me, who used me, who betrayed me and I was feared for it! And now being hanged by some old useless soldier, war machines I made, some slut of a bounty hunter, a spoiled billionaire loser, and my son watching me with a grin while he suffocates! I went through hell and back to get where I am and I will not be killed like this!" Army Man aimed his pistol center mass and was prepared to end his 14 years of tears and misery, he was ready to avenge his wife, he was ready to finally not sleep with a gun right next to him. As he prepared to fire he noticed a black inky aura manifest around Genndy, and when he stopped to examine it…

**Level UP!**

Genndy

Ability: ?

Although his ability is unknown it appears to severely damage muscles and the recipient's lungs.

Strength: [MAX]+1

Stamina: [MAX]+1

Creativity: [MAX]+1

Power: [MAX] +1

End ch.7


	8. Chapter 8:The beginning

Chapter 8: The Beginning

Min was panicking, he didn't know what he was doing, nor why he was doing it. He was running from the most powerful man in the world. He didn't know where he was going but he knew that there was someone out there that could help them.

"Min, where are we going?" John said sleepily holding onto Min's hand. Min was snapped out of his panic remembering why he was doing this and why more than ever he needed to take Genndy's advice: "_Even when the battle seems lost you keep fighting no matter what. It's better to go out like a martyr than being forgotten like an old man on his deathbed."_

Min let these words settle in, he took a breath and ran faster pulling John along with him.

"I'm not giving up not now! Not ever! As long as you're in Genndy's grasp I'll never stop fighting! I will never stop running!"

John awoke from the depths of unconsciousness and rubbed his head. He had a severe headache from the attack. Wait... The attack! John opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself still in the forest. But he couldn't see anyone else. He continued to look around until he saw a massive black void right next to him.

"What the..!" John exclaimed. He stood up and wobbled a bit. He was still recovering from Genndy's ability. He walked towards the void and examined it.

It was an inky black surface- or substance john didn't know- it didn't show his reflection either. With a moment of hesitation, John reached out and touched the void. It was only for a moment but John immediately felt weak and out of breath.

"It must be what Genndy used to escape," John stated while withdrawing from the void.

John sat there for a moment until he heard a familiar voice from the void scream in agony. It was that old bastard soldier- or his stepdad John still had mixed feelings about him.

John didn't know what to do, say, or where to go.

He wanted to help but he knew if he walked in there he would be in danger as well. John sat there before hearing a familiar voice say…

"Heads up," John's head moved on its own to look towards the sky before being tackled by Johnny and Smoky.

John hit the ground with a mighty thud and grunted.

"What the hell did you do!?" Johnny commanded John to answer. John was confused as to what was going around before he recognized who Johnny was.

"I didn't do anything, you fucking idiot! I tried to help them!" Johnny scrunched his eyebrows in disbelief, the man under him tried to kidnap his little brother, kill his slightly older brother and was probably still in cahoots with his family's most powerful enemies.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes!" John grunted out still trying to squirm out from under Johnny and Smoky.

"Ok then, where's everybody else?"

"Gee, I wonder if they're in the giant black bubble!" John replied with sarcasm. John wanted to help 'good guys' but he didn't want to deal with all the idiots his dad had described. He thought they'd be like the unkillable soldier his dad talked about all the time. Smart, elusive, strong, a frightening adversary for any untrained, trained, or master fighter, the man who's taken down almost 10% of the PHA's control over the world. But what he got are bickering children, an old man who can't say no to a 6-year-old child, and a brat who seems to be a lot more like his mother on the power scale. Ok, he admits that last one wasn't as bad.

"Hey, can you stop lamenting over how we weren't your expectations and tell me how the fuck to get my family out of there!" Johnny exclaimed towards John as he and Smoky let go of him. John stood back to his feet and looked towards the black void. John didn't know what to do about his father's ability, let alone a new use for it, Genndy kept his ability secret from everyone. John thought it was because he had some weak ability until he saw his father first hand.

Uhm..how did the idiot and old man hear it too, please don't tell me I've gone insane."

"Hey, Mr.!" John looked towards Percy who was closer than before. "Dad must've gained-unlocked?-I don't know how it works but, he somehow evolved his ability. And just our luck, we barely knew his weakness before," John said with a long sigh.

"I know how." Someone breathed out from behind the small group of men. Everyone turned around to see Percy out of breath panting while hunched over.

"I found you guys!" Percy exclaimed, running towards Johnny and hugging him. Johnny breathed a sigh of relief knowing his little brother was safe and sound in his arms. John cleared his throat loudly trying to gain the attention of Johnny and Percy.

"I'm here too ya know," said Smoky addressing the reader of his non-importance as of right now.

"Yeah. We know," said John as he dismissed the old man before continuing. "How do you know how to beat him, Percy?"

"Well before the big scary man's bubble blew up I heard someone say, 'protect yourself' and I sort of knew what to do. I focused hard and closed my eyes like with the tree. And when I opened them I was surrounded by a green bubble, head to toe, like the man's bubble but instead of being big and scary it talked to me and told me where to go."

Percy said concluding his recollection of events. John stared down at the little boy not believing that a 'guardian angel' came down to rescue him. John was about to object to that story until he was shushed by Percy.

"Listen, there they were again! Mr. or Mrs. Voice where are you!" Percy exclaimed yelling into the woods for this mysterious voice. Johnny was amused by his little brother's imagination, while John was about done playing games when the most dangerous man alive is in there torturing the one man who could kill him.

"Listen." a voice whispered into his ear. Percy turned his head looking towards John hearing the voice once again, he noticed John was looking around for it as well.

"You heard it too!" Percy exclaimed. John was in disbelief, "

"You can do it too! What did they say to you?"

"I did not hear a voice, ok."

"Did too."

"Did too." John was spooked by how in-sync the voice and Percy were. Johnny and Smoky looked onwards as John went insane from confusion.

John couldn't believe his ears-or any sense for that matter- there was a voice talking to him and some 6-year-old he met today.

"Mr.! Are you okay?" Percy inquired as he walked closer to John.

John was about to have a panic attack until the voice whispered into his and Percy's ears.

"Someone's coming." John heard a branch being broken behind him and turned around only to see the bounty hunter his dad hired and she was carrying another wounded woman.

"Thirteen?!" Johnny exclaimed as he looked towards the woman who had plagued his family for these crazy last few days. Thirteen had scratches on her hands, her battle suit's leggings were torn revealing the slightest of skin. Thirteen was carrying Velma who had passed out from the shock of Genndy's new ability. Thirteen walked forward slowly minding Velma's broken arm.

"So, you little dipshits. What's the plan to kill that bastard?" Thirteen asked, getting straight to business. She had a slight limp in her walk that nobody but herself could notice. Thirteen walked over to a tree and placed an unconscious Velma there being even more careful with her arm. Thirteen was delicate yet strong with the injured woman.

"Uhm...you okay?" John asked, taking note of Thirteen's sluggishness. Thirteen grunted as she stretched her back but a volt of pain jolted from her spine to her brain, but she acted like she didn't feel it.

"Listen, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to heal us?" Thirteen said addressing Percy. He gasped in realization and walked over to Thirteen. He placed his hand on her thigh since that's the highest place he could reach, a green aura surrounded Thirteen like before and her back pain and wounds were healed. Percy removed his hand and went towards the unconscious Velma and placed his hand on her shoulder, repeating the process he did on Thirteen. Percy removed his hand and sighed before he realized that Velma was awake. She stared at him then her arm and said…

"You know you remind me of my kid back home." Percy didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or insult so he just said: "Thank you,"

and returned to Johnny's side.

"Alright then, anyone here knows how to get inside of the giant death bubble, without getting affected by that fat bitch's ability?" Thirteen asked to which she was met by silence until John realized something.

"Wait! Percy!" John said pointing towards the young boy. Johnny instinctively grabbed both of Percy's shoulders and held him close.

"What about Percy?"

"He escaped because he used his healing ability to overturn the effects of dad's ability!"

"So you're gonna use a child in a battle against a superpowered giant?!"

"Aw yeah!" Percy exclaimed, excited to be a part of the plan. Johnny was flabbergasted at the excitement Percy showed towards his danger. Smoky smiled towards Johnny, he was amused by Johnny's reaction. He knew Johnny disliked Catherine's overprotectiveness, but he guessed even Johnny had his limits.

"That could work but I don't know if we should trust our safety to a 6-year-old," Velma added while standing.

"But…" Johnny started before he felt a tug on his cloak. He looked down to see Percy doing his signature puppy dog eyes.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

Johnny sighed, he didn't have a better plan other than waiting for the bubble to disappear.

"Fine." Percy rejoiced as he hugged Johnny.

"Ok. Ok. Let's just be careful," Johnny said as he removed himself from the hug.

"Now that that's settled, Anyone has a spare blade or gun?" Thirteen asked now realizing she left her blade somewhere else.

"Never fear! Dealer is here!" Someone announced proudly.

"You should move." the voice whispered into John's ear as he was run over by a wooden wheelbarrow filled with guns and carrying an excited Dealer.

"Hey!" John exclaimed angrily as he stood up.

"Oh! You're on our side now?"

"Yes!"

"Welp! Sorry, not sorry." John was about to strangle Dealer until he calmed himself down. "I'm starting to regret switching sides." John thought to himself.

"Dealer where did you get all these guns?"

"Army Dad has a hidden armory in the rubble. And here I thought he didn't like shooting unless necessary." Everyone walked over and walked towards the wheelbarrow checking its contents. It was filled with a variety of guns like a Benelli Semi-auto shotgun, Henry lever-action shotgun, more shotguns-Johnny was starting to pick up a trend with his father-, but for John, he was focused on one object. A revolver. He didn't know the brand as Johnny did but there was something that guided his eyes towards it. John's hand, without thinking, reached for the pistol and examined it further. It had dirt mixed into the grip as if dropped to the ground. The pistol was a standard hammer action revolver, It had a silver-like colored metal that was ridden with scratches, it had leather where the firearm should be held except, there was a name in the corner of the leather.

"Julia H." The voice whispered into John's ears. The name was engraved in the material neatly. John opened the chamber and the gun was almost fully loaded, only having 5 bullets in the chamber missing 1.

"Hey, you okay?" Thirteen asked, picking up a double-barrel shotgun and a strap of 50 shells.

"Yeah, I think I just found my weapon of choice," John said confidently before reaching into the barrow and pulling out more ammo for the pistol.

"You guys grabbing anything?" Thirteen asked Johnny and everyone else.

"I have a robotic suit. I think I'm good."

"Jokes are the only weapon I need, baby."

"I'm too old."

"I'm too young."

"Honey, I got two guns right here." Dealer said flexing his muscles. Thirteen rolled her eyes at the man.

"Alright kid, you know what to do. Don't you?" Thirteen asked Percy. Percy nodded in agreement as he focused.

"Relax. Breathe. Focus." The voice said as Percy followed its instructions. And as he did slowly a green bubble formed around him and engulfed everyone else. The bubble was warm and comforting, like a warm hug.

"Alright, everyone let's mosey." Thirteen said as Percy and everyone marched forwards into the bubble.

_John awoke to the feeling of cold steel on his back. He was shirtless but was wearing black-loose- pants. John heard the buzzing of a forcefield, He knew that buzzing he was in a cell used to hold experiments and prisoners. And he heard Min crying over him and muttering 'sorry' and 'it's all his fault' in quick breaths. John was confused, he didn't remember what happened, he looked at Min's face and noticed it had a faded scar that was covered in dried blood. John moved his hand and touched the mark. Min flinched when his hand touched the imperfection, but gently grasped his hand and led it to John's chest. John noticed that his chest had a giant burn mark but he didn't feel it. It didn't sting, it didn't hurt, it didn't feel like his body had any imperfection. _

"_C'mon it can't be gone. C'mon, please!" Min cried out, but he silenced himself when he heard the familiar clicks of heels. John knew those heels, 6in, red, incredibly hard to walk in. don't ask. It was Mother, Julia._

"_Well. Well. You sure made a ruckus didn't you, Min." Julia said, turning the two boys in the cell while holding a reflective mask that looked like a mirror and a mysterious brass-like orb that was glowing green and purple. "You killed a site leader, severely injured multiple guards, and nearly _

_escaped with our most prized possession...well used to be our most prized possession." She continued while playing with the orb. She smirked at min, who averted his gaze, and knelt to his level._

"_You know it's funny, if anyone else were to pull this shit Genndy would've killed you in that warehouse the moment he caught you, but he does have a soft spot for mistakes." She said before standing and deactivating the forcefield and throwing the reflective mask on the ground. "Your new job is as John's bodyguard since you have such a fondness for him, but you can't break any of these rules…" John was confused he didn't know what mom was talking about. Min would never __**KILL **__a site leader. He could barely hurt dad in training. _

"_Yes ma'am," Min said, eyes still locked onto the metal floor. Min looked at the reflective mask and grabbed it. He took a moment to stare at his reflection before putting the mask on and standing. Min looked back towards John before walking away. John tried to follow Min but his legs couldn't support him. He fell back to the ground with a THUD and grunted in pain. Min stopped in his tracks and looked back towards John. With a sigh, Min turned back around and picked John up bridal style and carried him back to Julia's chamber._

"_Min, what happened, what is mom talking about?" "..."_

"_Min, what did you do?" "..."_

"_Min, please talk to me!" "..." _

"_What did they do to you?" "..."_

Catherine took a deep breath as she awoke from unconsciousness. She hyperventilated thinking she was running out of air. She kept this process going until she heard someone say…

"You're not dying," Catherine stopped hyperventilating and realized that she wasn't dying. She then realized who had just spoken to her. She then looked around her and saw her father, a suit-less Jim, and Ed all sitting in a circle. She also saw a giant black void that surrounded them on every angle.

"Wait. What's happ…"

"Genndy unlocked a new ability and we're trapped here. That's what happened." Army Man said matter of factly. Her father looked tired and angry. He was that close to killing Genndy, just one more second and this all would be over.

"I bet mom's freaking out right now, she probably thinks i got drugged at the "party"," Jim said jokingly. Army Man's eyes widened at the statement.

"You lied to your mother?!" He exclaimed. Ed walked over to Catherine and sat back down. He wanted to have a front-row seat.

"Uhh..yes sir."

"You're officially stupid. I had a problem with you being here, to begin with, but now- What if you died?" Jim's heart dropped to his stomach. "Your mother would have no idea. She would never see you again. Trust me when I say, ``You'll lose more being a hero than being a spectator."

"That's bullshit! You get to go around town being a hero taking out drug cartels and human trafficking, but you don't see everything. You're on the ground but you're way above me. I'm like the neighborhood watch, doing the little things. I didn't ask for this suit or to meet you, but like a wise woman said you keep moving until there's a wall to stop you." Army Man has never heard of that quote before, and Julia was a woman of quotes.

"A teenager shouldn't be out there risking his life!"

"Neither should an old man!" Army Man looked as if he gave him that one. Catherine and Ed looked on as the two continued arguing until.

"Can both of you just shut up!" Magneta exclaimed as she and all the other Site leaders appeared with Mirror Master behind them. "Ugh! We're trying to figure out where to find that fucking brat and John! So can you stop giving me a headache!" Sue continued until Exterminator placed a hand on her shoulder. Genndy stepped forward and smiled.

"You, know, Army Man, I thought I lost back there," Genndy said as he rubbed red marks on his neck. " But, as I've shown before, I am full of surprises." Army Man scowled at him.

"You, know, Genndy, The reason you're alive right now is that I know something you don't." Army Man said with a sly grin on his face.

"And what's that?"

"Eh, it's just you really pissed off a lot of people today. Including, someone that you really didn't want to."

"Oh, You're talking about family aren't yo-"

"I mean you could call her that."

"Enough, with the pronoun games, who is she?!"

"I think the better question is… where is she?" Genndy looked behind Army Man and didn't see Catherine, Ed, or Jim.

"What in the hell?!" he thought. He glanced back at Army Man, who was chuckling like a madman, and watched as John uncloaked behind him.

"Hey, dad," John said before cloaking again. Genndy's muscles tensed in anger as he was fooled. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The safe space he was in disappeared and there was nothing but...darkness.

"That was...perfect!" Johnny exclaimed. Everyone was following Percy as he led them to safety. "Dad, how did you know we were coming!?"

"I mean it's easy to hear when you're listening to someone's monologue," Army Man said. "But the real question is, John, how did you sneak in without Genndy noticing?"

"It gets easy once you've been doing it for 21 years," John stated plainly, examining the revolver. Army Man noticed that he was lost in the weapon.

"Yea, it was Julie's," Army Man said. "She chose it because it was light, she liked running, but I never thought what she meant by that." Army Man looked John in the eyes. "She never told me about you, she never told me about the life she left behind, I was just lost in love to see it."

"If it makes you feel any better, she never told me about you." John said. Smoky grunted as he carried Jim.

"Woo! You sure are heavy!" He exclaimed. Jim sighed as he was reduced to being carried by an old man.

"Sorry, I've been putting on weight."

"Why's that?" Smoky asked.

"I'm trying to build muscle mass."

"Trying to get stronger? I wish I was your age again." Smoky said huffing and puffing. Thirteen led the group with Percy and Catherine by her side.

"So, why are you helping us?" Catherine asked Thirteen.

"I'm getting paid to follow Ms. Smartass over there, and let's just say Genndy needs a couple of holes put in him." Thirteen said, examining the shotgun in her hand. Catherine eyed Thirteen suspiciously, She was waiting for Thirteen to turn around and shoot someone or take Percy and teleport away.

"Catherine?" Percy said trying to get his sister's attention "What was mom like?" Even though it was just her he was talking to, she could hear John and Army Man stop talking, she could feel Johnny's eyes on her, and she knew Johnny and Dealer stopped annoying Velma and Ed with jokes.

"Um...she was...you know, herself. She was smart, loved to draw-"

"Like me?"

"Yeah Perc, like you." Catherine said, smiling, patting him on the head.

"She liked my jokes." Johnny said with a content smile on his face.

"She also loved gardening!" Ed said jumping in.

"She always walked into no man's land for the tiniest things, one time she almost got caught trying to save a baby goat." Army Man said laughing. Johnny and Catherine chuckled at the memory because they were there.

"She liked music," John said looking down at his revolver. "Always hum songs I'm not even sure exist-well I guess they do now- and she also liked to dance."

"I guess she just dropped music when she left." Catherine said. John stopped in his tracks.

"What?" He said with a dry throat.

"She wasn't really the musical type." Ed said.

"So she just left everything behind when she left!" John exclaimed.

"Woah, there buddy! She just didn't like musicals after she left." Dealer said with rolling eyes.

"The only good thing I can remember about her, was just dropped like it was nothing?" John asked. Catherine saw it more like pleading for what he wanted to hear. "So, she became an entirely new person just to get away from me?!"

"You know if you want to escape you have to use your inside voices," Magneta whispered from behind John. "Hello there, Johnny boy and acquaintances, my dear co-worker Genndy is really pissed off that you've managed to be this annoying. So if you don't mind we'll just be taking John and...Percy was it?" She stated before a yellow canister landed in the center of everyone. "Oh shit, that's my cue to go." Magneta retreated outside of Percy's healing aura as the canister began to beep.

"Everyone hold your brea-" John screamed as the canister exploded.

"But, Min, it'll be fun!" John begged. Min didn't reply as usual and instead gave a very dismissive grunt. "C'mon, I know you wanna go see it too." John could hear the slightest chuckle come from Min and proceeded to pry further. "It's one time, one little play." Min looked around for anyone and turned towards John and nodded his head, yes, but John interpreted that as "C'mon let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"Ok, so how do we sneak past dad?"

"Take the west hall's secret exit," Exterminator whispered. John and Min physically jumped when the man appeared. "The wing has been evacuated for my latest experiment." He said.

"Why are you helping us?" John asked inquisitively.

"Because I can get you two out of my hair. Now, go along before Sentinel hears about your escape!" Exterminator exclaimed as the two ran off.

"So we're just going to ignore the fact those two aren't meant to ever go off-site again." Magneta said. Exterminator gave a great sigh.

"Anita, I'm getting old. Those two are still young, they can at least experience some excitement."

"Ok, Telmor Richmond, when Genndy finds out don't say anything." She said a little sassy he used her real name.

"It's okay, Kroshka, I won't."

"Call me that again, I will kill you."

John's vision began to blur. There was a ringing in his ear as he tried to navigate through the gas.

"Where's everyone?" He wondered as he tripped and stumbled. He could slowly feel control over his legs slipping away as he fell. He could hear footsteps coming towards him as his vision slowly went dark.

"Hey! Kid! Stay with me!" Velma exclaimed as she lifted him up. Velma activated her suit's helmet just before the gas went off. "Glad, I installed an air filter in this thing." She said before carrying John out of the gas into the mansion's clearing. Simon watched as everyone collapsed onto the ground as they exited the forest. He slowly crawled over to Jim's wheelchair and pulled himself into it.

"What the hell happened?!" He asked as he approached his coughing father.

"Fucking, Exterminator, used his gas." Army Man said through the coughs. Simon tried to help his father up until he heard a familiar shotgun being primed.

"_No, please! Simon!" _He remembered his mother screaming as she was quickly silenced. Large footsteps could be heard approaching as Exterminator approached. He was slow like he was taking his time. He could be heard breathing as he made his way to the group. Simon looked at the man and summoned a laserdisc.

"Tsk. Tsk. Simon, you haven't learned have you?" Magneta stated as she ripped a piece of his metal leg away. He was yanked out of the wheelchair and had the metal against his throat.

"Exterminator, go grab the runts." Magneta said.

"Over my dead body!" Velma said as she lunged for Exterminator. Exterminator grabbed Velma's helmet and slammed her into the ground with such force it made an impact on the ground beneath them. Velma was knocked unconscious from the blow. Exterminator continued towards Percy before his leg was grabbed. Exterminator looked down and saw Catherine glaring at him. He looked her in the eyes, took a deep breath through his mask, and sighed. He looked back at Magneta who was waiting for him to grab John and Percy.

"What's taking you so long?!"

"I don't know but I just feel tired," He said as he dropped his shotgun. "I've been fighting this whole time and now I realize I just can't Anita."

"Exterminator, nobody cares how you feel right now. Grab the kids and let's go!" Exterminator ignored her and began to take off his mask. "Telmor! You can grow a conscience later!" Exterminator removed his mask and took a deep breath of fresh air. His face was ridden with scars, his hair was extremely gray, and he had bright blue eyes.

"Listen, to me, if you pull this stunt now you're going to die! You promised me that you weren't gonna leave me like everyone else!" Magneta said angrily.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm asking you to come with me, Anita. We could leave right now and forget all of this." Magneta looked Telmor in the eyes and sighed and shook her head, no.

"Anita, please."

"Turn around and go, Telmor. Don't look back. Don't come back." She said with a grunt. Telmor turned around and began to leave. John watched as the two most powerful people in the world argued about what to do. He watched on as Exterminator was leaving, and then-

Telmor felt a surge of pain in his back and the taste of copper on his lips. He looked down and saw the metal Magneta pulled from Simon's leg pierced through his stomach.

"Why Ani-?" He said before collapsing to the ground. Blood pooled beneath the man's body and soaked into the dirt. John watched as the body slowly started to no longer twitch in pain and agony, and the eyes of Telmor Richmond closed.

**Exterminator(Telmor Richmond)**

**Deceased**

"Magneta, what the hell did you just do!" Sentinel said as she emerged from the woods. Magneta fell silent as she ripped another piece of metal from Simon's legs and placed it closer to his neck than the last one and walked towards John. "Magneta! Answer me!"

"Shut up! You useless Heron!" Magneta yelled. She knelt down to John on the ground and grabbed him by the jaw. "That's what we do to traitors, I'll have fun playing with you and Telmor's leftover experiments," She said with a slight grin on her face. "Honestly, what did you expect? That the unkillable soldier would come to your rescue and keep you safe. Well, look around that failed miserably," She let go of his jaw and stood back up. "I just can't believe you thought you could leave just like your mother. I bet you told them all kinds of things." She said not looking at John for the last sentence. She looked Simon in his green eyes and smiled. "And I give all of you a clap and a half. Because you managed to waste my time better than anyone ever has! I'm just tired. And after I finish this and you, I can go back to doing my research she said.

"My, fucking, god you talk way too much!" Smoky exclaimed as he stood up. The gas' effect was fading, Magneta needed to end this quickly before Genndy came. "Back in my day, the people who ran their mouths the longest ended up dead first!"

"Well back in your day, old man, people were probably dying of fucking polio!"

"How dare you-"

"How did that feel on your conscious Magneta to insult an entire generation of people like that!" Johnny stated dramatically.

"I didn't feel anythi-" Magneta said before being cut off by Johnny.

"That's right I bet you feel horrible! After all, the truth's a double-edged sword," Johnny said as a double-edged somehow out of nowhere was summoned into existence. "Am I right, Thirteen?" Johnny said as he threw the sword towards Magneta. She stopped it with her magnetic ability.

"Really, what told you that was gonna work?!" Magneta laughed before being tapped on the shoulder. She turned around and was punched in the face by Thirteen. Magneta fell to the ground unconscious. "A little birdie." Thirteen said in response. "Nice work, kid!" She said giving kudos to Johnny.

"And to think I wanted to kill you just hours ago!" Johnny stated, referencing past events. Smoky took notice of Sentinel slowly backing away into the woods.

"Hey! You no good Heron!" Smoky called out. Sentinel pressed a button on her wrist and she ran back into the woods. Thirteen picked up the sword Johnny had summoned and prepared for whoever or whatever came through the forest again.

"Okay!" Johnny started looking towards his family and friends still on the ground from Exterminator's gas. "Guys, c'mon we have to get out of here!" He said as he tried to lift Army Man.

"We're getting up, it just hurts," John stated with a sigh.

"Everything hurts," Catherine said with a groan.

"I'm hungry," Percy said with a moan.

"Hi hungry, I'm dad." Army Man said jokingly. Johnny rolled his eyes at his father's forced joke.

"And Ed what's you're excuse?"

"No. Excuse. Just. Tired."

"That's fair," Johnny said. Army picked himself up and grabbed the double-barrel Thirteen was carrying earlier. John rose from the ground tiredly and grabbed the revolver. Catherine groaned before rising. Ed didn't even stand; he used the ground beneath him to push himself upwards. Percy dusted himself off and stood.

"See the gang's back together!" Jim said excitedly.

"Oh yeah! I forgot he was here." John said. Thirteen stared into the darkness of the forest as she stood ready. She was thinking about what she would do if it was Genndy. What could she do the only person that ever had this much power over her was-

"What the?" She stated as she examined the sword in her hand. There was a reflection in it that wasn't hers. The reflection lunged out of the blade. Revealing Mirror Master. Thirteen rolled away from Mirror Master and he landed in front of her. Thirteen grunted towards him as he lunged for her. Thirteen ducked under him. Mirror Master landed behind her and prepared for another attack until-

"Min! Stop!" John yelled as he ran towards him. Min looked towards John and then at the ground to where Magneta laid unconscious. "Min, listen, you can come with me-" John said being grabbed by the wrist and pulled through the air towards Magneta's unconscious body.

"_That's what we do to traitors, I'll have fun playing with you and Telmor's leftover experiments." _He remembered Magneta saying. John forcefully removed his hand from Min's grasp and faced his best friend.

"Min. I can't go back. If I do they'll kill me!" John exclaimed. Min walked towards John and removed his mask. John hadn't seen Min's face in years and now that he's finally seeing it, it wasn't like he remembered it at all. His bright brown eyes have dulled with time with only the tiniest glimmer of light, his hair was long and almost covered his eyes, and his caramel skin had turned rough as concrete.

"John. I'm your bodyguard if they try to touch you I'll-"

"You'll die with me," John said, the reality of it really crushing Min. Min placed his hand on John's cheek and smiled the light in his eyes flickering, before going dim again.

"John, can you tell me why at least?" Min said with tears in his eyes. John glanced back at Army Man and the rest of his family and smiled. He looked at Min with tears in his eyes.

"I think I found something to actually thank mom for," he said. Min kissed John on the forehead, one last time, and he looked back at Army Man, who was holding his shotgun ready to fire.

"Hey! If anything happens to him I **WILL **kill you!" Min exclaimed. Min put his mask back on and grabbed Magneta. "Oh, and you might want this," Min said as he pulled something out of his jacket. It was Jim's helmet broken in half. Min handed it to John.

"Genndy." He said before running away. John looked onward as his best friend- practically big brother- left him.

"You okay, John?" Percy asked him. John looked down and nodded his head. "You look sad."

"Well, I just left my entire life behind."

"Listen, son, what you just left behind wasn't life, it was a prison. Your life is just beginning." Army Man said as he put a hand on John's shoulder.

"What was mom like?" John asked. Catherine, Ed, Johnny, a wheelchair-bound Simon, and Dealer approached the three.

"She wasn't like anything we thought she was." Army Man said. Army Man turned towards the burned down mansion.

"We're gonna have to find a new place to stay." He said plainly.

"I can just rebuild it," Ed said.

"No, they know where we live now. We can't risk another attack like this." Simon said bluntly. John thought for a moment until a memory came back to him.

"I know exactly where to go!" John exclaimed.

Min ran deep into the forest until he saw Genndy and Sentinel arguing.

"Magneta **FUCKING MURDERED HIM**!" Sentinel yelled.

"He was going to run away! You know we can't let that happen!" He yelled back. Min walked towards the arguing pair and placed Magneta on a tree.

"Genndy! The soldier has captured John and is in possession of Exterminator's body." Min announced. Genndy grunted as he was given the information.

"Alright, we'll make a final attack-"

"No," Sentinel said bluntly to her leader. Genndy looked down at Sentinel with a confused look.

"What?"

"No. We can't! We are down 3 members. We can't possibly imagine taking on an entire unit!"

"My ability-"

"Your ability is now useless against the soldier! And your cannon is out of commission!"

"But-"

"Genndy! I want them dead as much as you, but if we want to live to fight another day we have to retreat!" Sentinel basically commanded. Genndy weighed his options and Sentinel was right he couldn't take on Army Man with a busted cannon.

"Fine. Mirror Master! Carry Magneta back to the transport! We have to head back to Predator base. But, I have to make a stop."

Genndy entered the laboratory with a determined look on his face. He hadn't talked to this man in years and yet here he was about to beg him for his help. Genndy heard someone humming the deeper he went into the lab.

"I know you're there Mr. Genndy!" The man said in a thick Dutch accent.

"Excuse me! I need your help, Baxter!" Genndy said. Baxter somehow approached from behind. He was to Genndy's chest in height.

The man had bright red hair and fiery red eyes. He wore a lab coat with a plaid shirt and khakis underneath. He also had headphones around his neck.

"What do you need?" Baxter inquired.

"John has betrayed the PHA, and I need someone to either bring him back or-"

"Kill him?" Baxter asked.

"Do you accept?"

"One question, would you like it to be slow or fast?"

"Surprise."

"Oh, I'm gonna have fun with this assignment!" Baxter cackled.

End Ch.8


	9. Chapter 9:Aftermath

Chapter 9: Aftermath

Thirteen sighed and stretched her arms. Today had been a long day. She fought multiple superhumans, had to deal with an entirely new enemy, and she lost both of her swords in the process.

"I know exactly where we're going to stay!" John exclaimed to Army Man. "I remember this one time Min and I tried to escape, and we spent the night in this old warehouse that used to store PHA weapons, but they stopped using it for some reason." Army Man didn't like the idea of staying in an old enemy's base, nor did he like that his kids would have to stay there either.

"John are you sure this is the right call?" Army Man asked concerned.

"100%! Trust me from what I remember it was beautiful. And! There's a watchtower for a certain little lizard, there's a couple of trees in the area, there are multiple rooms, and there's an armory." Catherine's eyes light up at the last mention.

"Wait. How do we know that this place isn't swarming with PHA members?" Dealer asked.

"I just said it was abandoned," John said.

"Well, how do we know it's safe for Percy?" Dealer asked targeting Catherine's concerns.

"Yeah, he's got a point," Catherine said.

"He just survived an attack I'm pretty sure he can handle himself, and, plus, kids are smarter than you think," John said as he patted Percy on the head.

"Yeah Cathy, I'm super duper smart!" Percy said proudly. Army Man chuckled at his son's ego before turning his attention back to John.

"Ok, if you think this is the right move we'll follow."

"Then, let's go!" John said excitedly.

"Ok, how far is it?" Simon asked.

"Uhh...like 3 hours away."

"Nope!" Everyone exclaimed in unison.

"We can go tomorrow morning," Johnny said tiredly.

"You mean, you guys. Because I have a poker game to make tomorrow," Dealer said with a snicker. "But Johnny can I speak with you for a sec?"

"Yeah, be right back guys," Johnny said as he and his uncle walked back to the mansion.

"Excuse me," Velma said as she interjected herself into the conversation. "I need to borrow you for a moment, soldier," she said. Army Man nodded his head and followed Velma to a tree where Jim and Thirteen were waiting. John grabbed Army Man on the shoulder and handed him Jim's broken mask.

"Tell him, sorry," John said as he let Army Man go.

"Remember the address?" Velma asked. Army Man, honestly, did forget about it, while fighting for his life.

"Oh yeah, what the hell was that about?" He asked.

"It was just supposed to be a meeting between me, you, and Auntie Jane but a certain sword-wielding maniac had to complicate things," She said looking at Thirteen.

"Hey! They were paying me big money!" Thirteen said in response.

"So, since I have an entire catalog of people. I wanted to ask something of each of you," Velma said nervously.

"Shoot." Army Man said nonchalantly.

"I'm asking each of you to join a team."

"Woah!" Thirteen said. "I agreed to be your bounty hunter, not some superhero running around town!"

"I know, I know, but if you join I'll raise your pay," Thirteen weighed her options and gave a begrudging sigh. "So what do you two say?" She asked Jim and Army Man.

"Wait! You're asking a 16-year-old if he wants to risk his life?" Army Man asked.

"He doesn't speak for me," Jim said bluntly. "Of course I'm in!" Army Man couldn't believe Velma just agreed to use a young man's life in some "righteous" plan.

"Why are you doing this?" Army Man asked seriously.

"You didn't just see the 7' tall man that came and wrecked our shit! This world needs people like you, like us, to stop him."

"You sound like a comic book character," Thirteen said sarcastically.

"Shut up!" Velma said angrily.

"I've been doing this longer than any of you. Trust me, when I say, that this "team" will only make the BIG guys bring out the BIG guns." Thirteen chuckled at the beginning comment.

"Look, you need our help," Velma said

"I didn't need it 12 years ago, why do I need it now?"

"Because I think this just got a little more complicated," Velma said looking over at John and the rest of them. "And how much damage have you actually done over the years "Army Man"?"

"More than your wallet, young lady." Army Man said bluntly before throwing Jim's broken helmet on the ground and walking away.

"NOOO!" Jim exclaimed. Thirteen walked over to Velma with a sly smirk.

"Not much of a negotiator are you?" She said. Velma rolled her eyes.

Johnny stepped over pieces of debris as he and his uncle walked through the destroyed mansion. Dealer led Johnny to the destroyed living room where Julia's safe laid seemingly frozen in time.

"I'm sorry," Dealer said. "I should've told someone about the safe. I just wanted a quick buck, and I wasn't thi-"

"Dealer, we can't show this to them just yet," Johnny said in thought.

"Wait! You scream and get mad at me and Army, but when you finally have information people should know, you decide to be a hypocrite-"

"Listen, I want to have a secret that no one knows about and you want to see what's in that safe. So, we just keep quiet until I can see in dad's face the same feeling I felt every time."

"He's gonna be pissed," Dealer said with a sigh.

"Hey, at least he'll have to wait to get pissed," Johnny said with a devious smirk. Dealer just decided to wait for Johnny to realize that when his father gets pissed he gets pissed.

**Time: 0-600**

"Genndy arranged the conference last night before he went to get his broken cannon removed. Magneta removed the arm in containment since she murdered Exterminator.

"I don't know why but I felt...you wouldn't understand!" She said before he left. Sentinel hasn't spoken to Magneta or Genndy since the attack on the Jules. She's confined herself to her quarters, monitoring the politics of the world. "Genndy won't let anyone see him with one arm, except for me, obviously." Baxter wrote down in his journal before turning his attention to Genndy on his bed with his head in his hand. Baxter sighed as he closed his journal and walked over to the giant man.

"How ya' doing, big guy?" Baxter asked as he sat down next to him.

"It's 2-1." He said.

"What?" Baxter said stunned by the vague answer.

"2-1. The score is two to one. I took his wife and he took my arm, and he won this time," Genndy said looking away.

"14-1. Actually," Baxter said.

"Excuse me?" Genndy said with an enraged look.

"I mean if we're keeping score, we should count the times he's utterly kicked our asses! I mean have you seen this man fight site leaders?! Remember Tarantula? He fucking threw her off a cliff after ripping her robotic limbs off one by one!" Baxter exclaimed. Genndy listened as Baxter made him relive every crushing defeat.

"And! He did steal our best batch of experiments in GOD KNOWS HOW LONG! Like, we're lucky he has morales or those kids would've killed us a while ago. I'm surprised Julia played her part of a seemingly helpless victim for so long, I mean if he found out she was a site leader he probably-" Baxter said before feeling something snake down his nostrils and into his lungs as he gasped for breath. Genndy growled as Baxter slowly suffocated at his side.

"Shut up," Genndy said as he released his hold on Baxter. "I know about every defeat. I'M THE LEADER GODAMNIT!"

"Geez. Somebody doesn't like being corrected!" Baxter said rubbing his neck. Both of their attention was drawn to a flat-screen on Genndy's wall. It beeped with glowing green light, only a fraction of second behind the sound, and it flashed a logo on the screen. The logo was of a mysterious black three-horned creature with glowing white eyes. Genndy stood and walked towards the screen sighing when he reached it. Genndy put his hand on the screen and swiped down. The logo stopped flashing and revealed Sentinel in her quarters with a screen giving predictions about Center City's upcoming election.

"Genndy. We may not have control of the city for the next four years," Sentinel said as she pressed some buttons on the screen to display the results. "Ever since the sex scandal, our candidate is completely wiped off the board! We have to find someone else to run or we have to pay a couple of people some "visits"." Baxter listened intently as Sentinel ranted on and on about worthless politics. He audibly groaned catching the attention of the two leaders.

"Anything to add, Syntho?" Sentinel said annoyed. Baxter was surprised that she would actually call him by his last name since NOBODY called him by his last name.

"Sentinel, was it?" Baxter asked, pretending to forget her name, "I just think that whoever's mayor doesn't matter as long as we hide our secrets good enough, and if we can't we just torture some random candidate's family and then, BOOM!, we have control over the city easy peasy." Sentinel rolled her eyes at the very simplistic, and full of holes, plan.

"Listen, Syntho, I'll leave the scientific battlefield to you, you leave the political scheming to me," Sentinel said dismissing his suggestions. "Genndy, what should we do?" Genndy rubbed his chin in thought as he analyzed the statistics and snapped his fingers in realization. The one with the most likely chance to win was Erin Beedle, Genndy knew the last name very well. Maybe Syntho had a point.

"Don't we have Erin's son in our pocket?" Genndy questioned.

"Yea. His oldest. Why?" Sentinel asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Contact him. We need him to give us a little alone time with his father."

"Genndy! You know what just happened in their family, you're just going to pull them into this?!"

"Yes. Why do you care?"

Sentinel's face turned red as a tomato in front of Genndy and Baxter. Baxter chuckled a little bit.

"Does someone have a little crush on a certain Beedle?" Baxter asked, mocking her.

"Genndy, how long until we can force him back to the hole he crawled out of?" Sentinel asked, face still red. Genndy didn't know if it was anger or embarrassment.

"Until he takes care of our little soldier problem," Genndy said. Baxter stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry towards Sentinel.

"Careful, Syntho, I've had to put down a lot of people like you before and I won't hesitate to do it again," Sentinel said cutting the communication line. Genndy sighed and looked at the time in the corner of the screen.

**0-645**

Simon hated the morning. His nightmares woke him up before everyone else in his family. He usually would sit on the roof and wait until someone woke up and eventually bothered him until everyone was up and about. Simon was used to the routine, he even taught himself to enjoy it. He liked being alone, he just didn't find anyone as enjoyable as himself. It was always noisy with other people, he liked it quiet.

"_Simon, please,_" Those words echoed through his head like the aftermath of a bell ringing. "_I don't have much time to explain, but you have to try and understand what I'm about to say-_" Simon shut the memory out of his brain. He didn't like talking about Julia-or mom-he just can't find himself to care about her as the rest of the family does. He felt as if he had to cry whenever she was mentioned or he had to feel angry when talking about her death at Genndy's hands, but he knew he was lying to himself.

"1,2,3,4-!" Simon heard someone say from outside. Simon's eyes bolted open. He examined the ruined living room, looking for-

"Dad and Catherine are here," He said to himself. "Who in the hell is awake and doing exercises." He grunted as he maneuvered around everyone's sleeping forms in his wooden wheelchair. He wheeled past Johnny and Dealer sleeping in the corner they basically begged to be in, past Catherine protectively holding Percy close, past Ed sleeping in the weirdest position possible, and his dad sat up against the wall with a gun in his hand. Simon knew his dad was the last to fall asleep, he always was, to keep a lookout, Simon never knew why his father was always on guard before all this happened. His dad always watched the skies, he was into bird watching, but it seemed as if he was waiting for someone- or something- to come.

"1,2,3,4,5-!" Simon was reminded of his question and wheeled his way outside. He took a look at the carnage that happened last night and he was amazed that he was left out for most of it. He examined the corpse of Exterminator and he was kinda wondering what they were going to with it. He gazed at the piece of metal that stuck out of his chest, and he was sort of terrified. He knew Magneta was a wild card but didn't know she would kill one of her own.

"1,2,3,4,5,6-!" Simon kept approaching the noise until he heard another voice.

"What did they teach you at the "PHA" how to fight like an animal?"

"Yeah, they did." Simon knew the two voices now and he smoothed his eyebrows in annoyance. The two people his family just met but were willing to accept as soon as they helped them out.

"Well, combat isn't just about dominating your enemy, it's about outsmarting, outmaneuvering, and utterly embarrassing them," Thirteen said dodging a series of blows thrown by John. They were sparring out in a clearing with Army Man's Jeep behind them. "That's the only quote I'm gonna use from my dad."

"You know, I was wondering, how did you end up like this?" John questioned.

"Like what? One of the best bounty hunters in the U.S.?"

"I mean, yeah, and the pale skin, you seem lonely, you talk about your father very vaguely, and you have this whole mysterious aura around you."

"That's a long story, you don't want to hear." Thirteen stated dancing around the question. Simon wheeled into view of his two former enemies and was visibly irritated.

"What in the hell are you two doing?" He questioned- more like demanded- the two.

"Just showing the "new guy" how to not fight like a wild animal." Thirteen said with a smirk. "What are you doing?"

"I was relaxing after almost being killed yesterday!" Simon exclaimed. Thirteen smirked at Simon amused by his frustration. "And I can't do that with both of you-" Simon said before having a heavy bag thrown at the legs of the wheelchair.

"Velma made something before she sent me over with the car. You'll be surprised~." Thirteen stated as Simon opened the bag. Inside were shiny, refined, fancy-looking, bionic legs.

"Titanium. Little harder to break this time 'round," Thirteen said as she sat in the backseat of the Jeep. "She could install them if you want or you could get your preferred mechanic to do it." Simon examined the legs with great detail. They were very… "human"-like. They were structured like the standard human legs. They had decently sized thighs, calves, and proportionally sized ankles. They weren't what he was used to, but they were more appealing. He imagined himself using them and it felt weird. It wasn't unimaginable but it felt like science fiction.

"She just cooked these up in 7 hours?!" Simon exclaimed. Thirteen giggled at Simon's clear confusion.

"Velma and the kid are like two peas in a pod, once they got yours done they started on dear old Jimbo's suit. I don't know why but she seems to have an urge to fix mistakes." Thirteen said.

"They really worked together to make titanium prosthetic legs in 7 hours?" John questioned.

"Yes. They're also analyzing the tech we found on the dead body of Telmor, Velma's really not holding back. After last night, something really motivated her to work and the kid convinced his mom that he got an "internship" at Alpha Robotics. Man, parents aren't that bright are they?"

"You tell me, he wants to march right into the soldier's house without any backup like an idiot."

"Trust me, dads think they're invincible until they need your help," Thirteen said, seeming to remember something. "Like, dad, we get it, you're one of the most powerful fighters in the world!"

"I know I'm a disappointment, so you don't have to keep reminding me!" John said, seemingly continuing Thirteen's statement.

"Right?! Like, WOW!, You raised thirteen kids in a perfectly nuclear family household, meanwhile when I try to, both my son and husband die in the crash of an experimental plane!"

"And when I try to fix past mistakes, there he is saying-"

"Don't worry, Thirteen, I'm better than you in every conceivable way!"

"I just hate him!"

"I just hate him!" Simon sat there confused and totally shellshocked; the conversation went from 0 to 100 faster than he saw Johnny eat pizza.

"You know what? I think me and you are going to get along perfectly." Thirteen said with a smile.

"Ok! Changing subject! Thirteen you seem in a better mood than you were when you stabbed my father." Simon stated passive-aggressively.

"That's because I'm being paid to do it, sweetie!" Thirteen said letting her sarcastic side show more. "Velma really wants to work with your dad. So, I came down here, dropped off the legs, and the Jeep you idiots forgot all the way back in Chapter 3!"

"So you did that just to suck up to my dad?!" Simon, once again, demanded. Thirteen eyes shot open in realization as she said too much.

"Welp, it seems I have a habit of not shutting up." She stated.

"Yeah. You do!" Simon said before throwing the bag back at Thirteen. "Keep your damn flattery! Come back when they're my gift and not my dad's" Simon wheeled off back to the cabin, angry and infuriated. _

**0-700**

Min walked down the empty hallways alone. The first time in a long time he was alone. No John to annoy him or talk to or to comfort. No Exterminator to stalk at night wondering what the former site leader did after dark. He always ate the last of the donuts. Min just walked aimlessly until the next mission or meeting he had to go to. He just wanted the day to be over wit-

"Excuse me, mister, are you Mirror Master?" A small voice asked from behind Min. Min turned around and saw a cadet with the standard uniform on. He was dark-skinned and had short brown hair. He couldn't be a day over 12. He looked nervous and scared. Min was confused; cadets were always with their talons, never alone. Min looked around and saw no other cadets and sighed.

"Where should you be, cadet?" Min asked, annoyed. The cadet took a deep breath and answered.

"Retrieving you, sir! Commander Genndy has asked for your presence for the conference of Site leaders." The cadet stated nervously. Min was honestly surprised that the cadet was actually there to get him and not to fanboy.

"Well, let's go. Lead the way." Min said as he followed the cadet to the meeting room.

Baxter loved the smell of arguing. It had a sweet tint of betrayal, the tiniest tang of deceit, and always the spiciness of ego. It never failed to intoxicate him. It's why he loved to piss people off, just to get a taste of that sweet, sweet, sweet smell. And here he was, standing in a room full of the most powerful, intelligent, and corrupt people in the world and, even though they were silent, he was lost in the flavor of tension, it was a tangier taste than discord, and it was euphoric. There sat 5 of the 7 site leaders and they were all sitting in silence thinking of ways to make the others sound like idiots. Take, for example, Viper, she moderates the assassination of the organization, meanwhile commander Emily is the sole reason that they have loud military weapons. Those two argue on every dilemma the organization has ever faced. Then there's Frank. The everyman who's here to make sure everyone's having fun.

Even though it feels like the same amount of tension in the room, there were two very important people missing. Exterminator, the resident old guy, and Magneta, the resident psychopath. Those two were in charge of scientific and technological breakthroughs. Of course, Exterminator took more to biological weapons than Magneta's refinement of magnets to make a suit that can harness the same energy. These two were the comedy of the group. Magneta's child-like sense of humor and Exterminator's age-related puns really lightened the mood. They were like snacks in between meals and without snacks, you'd only be eating healthy but that's boring. The same goes for the smell of the conference room, too much tension and Baxter gets used to it, too much arguing and it becomes an all you can eat buffet but you can't leave, and too many snacks can give you cavities after a while.

"Ok, we have to discuss the elephant in the room. That being there is no elephant, Magneta killed the big guy himself." Genndy said, ripping the bandage off.

"Yes, and why hasn't she been publicly executed?" Viper stated plainly.

"Because she did nothing wrong, he was going to leave you just can't leave as a site leader! If I have to wait 34 more years then he should too damnit!" Commander Emily blurted out. Viper rolled her eyes at the old commander as she stood.

"When Eva took out Sledge, she was stripped of her title and then executed. She was one of many. But, when your little excuse of an adoptive son murders Mirror Meister he gets a free pass?" Viper said with a hint of poison underneath her tone. "You murder my wife for killing the man who would've blown up an entire site, but when your wife-"

"You shut up about Julia!" Viper glared at Genndy before continuing with her argument.

"Extermin-I mean Telmor was with you when you took control of this fuckin' place. All of us were here! No matter what you did he stuck by you. No matter the choice, he would defend it." Genndy knew all of this and it still didn't change his mind. Telmor was a soldier. He knew what the job would entail and under pressure, he faltered. "When you opened that thing, and you wanted to test it. He gave up his own daughter for you- no- you ordered him to."

"Project: Exodus is confidential. We don't talk about it." Genndy said with his malice all but hidden. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, really? Telmor would lie about his daughter being taken away by the soldier? He would lie about wanting to see her when we invaded the soldier's old base of operations?!"

"Exterminator was ordered to let go of personnel attachments when he put her through that portal! And I order you to sit down!" Genndy said, losing his last bit of patience. And there was the smell Genndy was basically produced without anyone's help. Anger. The weird thing about anger is that it's like cheese. The longer you let it sit, the more it becomes a delicacy. And, Genndy's was the cheapest delicacy there was. It was delicious and easy to bring out, it was the main characteristic of him, and Baxter loved it.

Everyone's heads turned to the door of the conference room that opened mechanically revealing Min and the cadet. The cadet was saluting as he entered the room, while Min simply walked in and stood at the end of the rectangular table. The cadet took to Baxter's side at the back corner of the room.

"You wanted me, sir?" Min asked as he examined Viper's face seething with hatred as he stood there.

"I thought we'd settle our magnet problem by now, but yes. Do you know Baxter Syntho? He's been assigned to put an end to our little soldier problem while I'm gone."

"Gone? Gone, where?" Min asked having all of that information hit him at once.

"I don't want anyone to know, but you're going to help Baxter with his new assignment until it's either done or I'm back." Min didn't know that Genndy was leaving for his new arm was going to be done later on that day, he was just defeated again, and he was humiliated, again, by some random bounty hunter. He thought he'd want a little payback.

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, Minnie, we're going to have so much fun together. I already have an entire first night planned!" Baxter said like a high school girl. Min rolled his eyes and sighed. Another person to babysit.

"Genndy! Beedle's gotten in touch with us and he said he'll talk with his father and your transportation's ready at the Southside of the city."

"Good. While I'm gone, Frank's in charge so listen to him. Clear, Viper?"

"Crystal."

"Good, Baxter. Don't treat the soldier like another run of the mill citizen, he will kill you if he has the chance. Min, keep him from dying. Cadet, don't die, your abilities could be useful if you succeed. Also, concerning Magneta, she will be released later on today and will be left to her own devices. If any other action is taken while I'm gone, there will be consequences." Genndy said as he left the room to prepare. That was an example of Genndy's worst taste. His facade of being a calm leader, honestly, Baxter hated when people masked their taste. They try so hard to be something they're not and he loves it when they break.

Min followed Baxter and the cadet to Baxter's new quarters, provided to him by Frank, and Baxter did nothing but talk and talk and-

"-Talk about anger issues! He always acts like he's better than us-Pffft!- please! You can't even kill some old guy! So, obviously, he hires someone who can." Min never thought someone could talk his ear off more than John. He was wrong. "Also, cadet, we need a name for you. What's your ability?"

"I can-"

"Nevermind, I'll just give you one right now. How about...hm?...Maz!" Baxter exclaimed. The cadet- well Maz now- simply nodded his head and accepted his new name. Min rolled his eyes. Cadets were bounced from assignment to assignment as soon as they passed some test named The Slaughter. Min never had to take that test because he was assigned to John before he had to. He always ran into the same cadets over and over again, but they never had the same name. Their assignments gave them different ones every time. Min's name was chosen from birth by Genndy and nobody changed his name. Min was very much lucky to have Genndy on his side at such a young age, he was lucky Genndy "had a soft spot for mistakes."- as Julia put it- he could get away with a little more than the average cadet or experiment.

"We're going to have so much fun! I already have a 9 step plan to get rid of the soldier. He clearly acts uninformed, he follows the breadcrumbs he's been given. And since his main base of operations was burned down, all his information must be gone. So, all we have to do is bait him into a sense of-"

"Not gonna work," Min said plainly.

"What?" Baxter questioned as if Min said something unbelievable.

"He's a lot smarter than you think. I've fought him more times than anyone and he's as ruthless as Genndy. I honestly don't see why John would stay with him." Min said, with the last sentence under his breath. Baxter giggled, he heard his little comment.

"Is Minnie jealous?" Baxter asked teasingly.

"No," Min said annoyed. Min wanted Baxter to shut up before he started to ask questions about what happened.

"John? Who's that?" Maz asked. Min was genuinely surprised that Maz had no idea who Genndy's son was.

"Oh, he's nobody you need to worry about. Min'll take care of him. Won't you?" Baxter asked, disguising he command. Min was used to that, every site leader's the same, they know they have power so they use it.

Min knows countless cadets that are killed or worse just because they don't want to do their dirty work. There were more people than the soldier that tried to defy the PHA. Min was responsible for 2 of them disappearing.

"When the time comes," Min said dismissively. The group reached Baxter's quarters and, to no one's surprise, it was more of a lab than living arrangements. There were countless arrangements of beakers and test tubes, there was a whiteboard filled with…

"Wait," Min said as he approached the board. "These equations are for the force of gravity on a...airship? Why in the hell-"

"That's none of our business and it's boring! Whatever Anita was working on in here is none of our business!" Baxter said, dismissing Min's observations. "How do you even know gravitational equations?"

"Magneta showed me some things." Min looked away from the board trying to forget what he saw on the board, but he always knew whenever Magneta was panning something it was always big.

Genndy was ready to leave, all he had to do was make sure Magneta knew her part of the deal. He walked past all the high-security cells, most of the prisoners he put there himself, and smirked hearing all the angry voices yelling at him, calling him ungodly things, and some of it he couldn't make out because of the others yelling. They couldn't escape, the cells used laser technology to hold prisoners until either their freedom or death.

Genndy walked all the way to the end of the security hall and stomped his foot, silencing the rest of the prisoners.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Magneta said tiredly while laying down on her cot looking towards the ceiling.

"Project: Exodus. Did you finish the schematics, Magneta?"

"Anita," Magneta said matter of factly.

"What?" Genndy asked as he raised his eyebrow.

"My name is Anita Williams. So call me that. And, second, yes. I did, but there's one kink to work out. We need the Harmony Orb. Wherever it is." Anita stated absentmindedly.

"Well, maybe, we don't need that witch's gifts."

"What are you implying Genndy?"

"I'm saying, I studied her little tapestry again and...I found something." He whispered deactivating Anita's containment barrier. Genndy pulled a waded piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to her.

The tapestry was drawn with otherworldly ink. It seemed to glow off the page. Speaking of the page, it seemed to be an old parchment ripped from a greater piece. The page depicted many different events that even Genndy didn't know about yet. But, the only one he cared about, was of a giant triangle with a diamond in the center broken and showed pieces forming into a symbol, a simple symbol really. It was of an "A" with a fancy design. The design they saw on a familiar robotic suit.

"You think Johansson knows something?"

"No. She has something. And that "something" is what we need to finish. I sent Baxter to distract the soldier while we deal with the actual mission."

"Genndy, are you actually saying you believe in alternative dimensions after you said, and I quote, "This is a waste of resources" before I found someone who could make super soldiers?" Anita said mockingly. Genndy chuckled at Magneta's slight disrespect.

"I know alternate realities exist because if they don't that means you're wrong, Anita," Genndy said before turning and leaving the cell. Anita stood and followed him to the end of the security hall.

"Anita, I need you to make sure that no one is in the way of Exodus. You need to follow Johansson and see if there is anything we need to "inspect"."

"Yes, sir," Anita said with a yawn. Genndy opened the entrance to the security hall and smiled.

"How's my new arm?" He asked with a sinister tone.

"Oh, It's waiting with your transport. It has all the upgrades you wanted and all the other nonsense. Why?"

"I just wanted to show it off to someone." He said before exiting the hall.

_Army Man opened his eyes and was met with blinding white light. He grunted as he shielded his eyes. He stood and observed his surroundings. He wasn't in the mansion. He was in a white void with floating buildings and landmasses. He could see churches and homes, He could see floating mountains with dead plants on them. Even though this place was a wonder to the normal eye, Army Man wasn't impressed. He's been here before._

"_Herman!" A mysterious voice had called out through all of Army Man's thoughts. "Finally, I was starting to think you severed our link!" Army Man knew that voice. He hadn't heard it in a long time. Years, decades, even he didn't know at this point. All he knew is, whatever reason he's here, it better be damn important._

"_What do you want?" Army Man asked his back towards the voice. He could hear heavy footsteps behind him come to a stop. "He still wears that damn armor?" Army Man thought to himself._

"_My daughter, Vera, she's with you, isn't she?" The voice said with a hint of concern._

"_That doesn't answer my question!" Army Man said he was losing his patience by the minute. The voice sighed and Army Man could take a seat behind him._

"_Sorry, that was rude of me, to call you here and not answer your questions." The voice explained. "Could you please turn around?"_

"_If I see your damn face, I might kill you." Army Man said spitting venom. The voice laughed._

"_That's fair, but you need to see what your adversaries are planning." Army Man's eyes shot open in surprise._

"_Wha-How in the hell-?" Army Man stuttered before turning around and seeing a man in light brown armor with an owl mask sitting. And in the sky above him was a giant black crack in the sky. The crack was leaking a thick black substance that cracked the ground beneath it. The crack seemed to have a violent roar to it that the armored man seemed to ignore._

"_It's been up there for 20 years now, but recently it grew stronger. I was hoping you would know anything about it since…" The armored man picked up a clipboard from the withered ground under his feet. "The people behind this know a thing or two about you." He tossed the clipboard towards Army Man, who caught it, he examined it. The first page of the clipboard was blank. "The bastard can't remember the first page?" He thought to himself as he flipped it to the next page. It had every minuscule fact that the PHA knew about him. To his various guns, fighting styles, and all his kids._

"_The PHA did this? They can't even kill me, but they're opening portals to other dimensions!"_

"_No. That...thing isn't a portal it's a monster trying to destroy this realm. I need you and Vera to stop this at any cost. Because I fear that if you don't it'll seep into every dimension and devour them all until there's nothing left!" The armored man clenched his fist in anger and sighed. "I'll do what I can from here but you need to stop whatever this is. You got that, soldier?"_

"_You got it, One?" Army Man said before…_

Army Man woke with a scream scaring Catherine, Johnny, Ed, and Percy out of their sleep.

"What the hell, dad?!" Johnny exclaimed. Army Man sat in a cold sweat before stating…

"I'll never get a break will I?"

End ch.9


End file.
